Community IT Innovators Nonprofit Technology Topics

Nonprofit Cybersecurity expert and Community IT CTO Matt Eshleman offered his take on these trends. Listen for expert advice on avoiding new computer viruses and making sure your organization is protected from Attacker-in-the-Middle attacks on MFA (Multi-Factor Authentication), particularly for important accounts like your Executive Director and CFO.

Fighting Viruses

• Virus attacks have been increasing. These computer viruses are ...

Change Management Lessons with Debbie Cameron

Build Consulting Partner Debbie Cameron and change management expert in a webinar on when you can rescue a nonprofit technology project using change management techniques. 

In part 1, Debbie describes the philosophy of change management and how these techniques work in helping the people at your organization understand and adapt to big changes. In part 2, she discusses how to rescue a fai...

Change Management Lessons with Debbie Cameron

Build Consulting Partner Debbie Cameron and change management expert in a webinar on when you can rescue a nonprofit technology project using change management techniques. 

In part 1, Debbie describes the philosophy of change management and how these techniques work in helping the people at your organization understand and adapt to big changes. In part 2, she discusses how to rescue a fai...

Do you have important files in your nonprofits’ Google Drive that are associated with their owners’ personal gmail address? Google lets you migrate those files to Shared Drive so your organization never loses access to them. 

Google Workspace is fantastically easy for nonprofit start ups to set up and doesn’t take a lot of technical know-how to manage until you grow to a larger staff size. 

One of the common issues we run into is own...

Vanguard Communications’ Chief of Innovation Brenda Foster shared tips and practical advice on getting started using generative Artificial Intelligence AI tools at your nonprofit in a way that matches your mission and values.
Learn how to prompt, when and how to use AI tools, and when not to.
Learn how to evaluate the outputs and feel good using AI at your nonprofit.

In part 1, Brenda explains the various types of AI and wa...

Vanguard Communications’ Chief of Innovation Brenda Foster shared tips and practical advice on getting started using generative Artificial Intelligence AI tools at your nonprofit in a way that matches your mission and values.
Learn how to prompt, when and how to use AI tools, and when not to.
Learn how to evaluate the outputs and feel good using AI at your nonprofit.

In part 1, Brenda explains the various types of AI and wa...

Does your nonprofit know what to do when a staff person clicks on a suspicious email and instantly regrets it? 

David Dawson is a Senior Engineer at Community IT on the escalation team for our help desk. Recently he led the response to a cybersecurity incident at a nonprofit client. In this Community IT podcast, he answers Carolyn’s questions about the flow of the response, best practices, and gives tips on how your nonprofit can be...

Peter Campbell is the principal consultant at Techcafeteria, a micro-consulting firm dedicated to helping nonprofits make more affordable and effective use of technology to support their missions. He recently published a free download powerpoint on Managing AI Risk and had time to talk with Carolyn about his thoughts on developing AI policies with an eye to risk, where the greatest risks lie for nonprofits using AI, and how often t...

On September 30th Microsoft will only support a new unified multi-factor authentication control configuration. What does this mean for your nonprofit?

In March 2023 Microsoft announced that after September 30th, 2025, they would no longer automatically support “legacy” multi-factor authentication controls in the Microsoft 365 Entra ID and General Admin administration portals. The methods your staff are using now will not automatical...

Learn how to run this valuable training tool from Community IT Chief Technology Officer and resident cybersecurity guru Matthew Eshleman, who explains how to carry out a cybersecurity tabletop exercise for your nonprofit and why this type of active testing is so valuable to your security planning. 

In pt 1, Matt and Carolyn go over what a tabletop exercise is and how they fit into your cybersecurity planning for your nonprofit. In p...

Learn how to run this valuable training tool from Community IT Chief Technology Officer and resident cybersecurity guru Matthew Eshleman, who explains how to carry out a cybersecurity tabletop exercise for your nonprofit and why this type of active testing is so valuable to your security planning. 

In pt 1, Matt and Carolyn go over what a tabletop exercise is and how they fit into your cybersecurity planning for your nonprofit. In p...

Most nonprofits will be asked about vulnerability scanning when they renew cybersecurity liability insurance or complete an annual audit. Do you know what it means and what you should do to comply? 

The takeaways: 

• There is no one-size-fits-all vulnerability scanning app for your entire organization. You will need to do vulnerability scanning on various systems and the scanning will be different. 
• As part of your incident response...

Many nonprofit staff are facing increased stress and multiplying concerns about privacy, security, and vulnerabilities. What should you be tackling first in this new political environment? 

The takeaways: 

• Most attacks are still financially based: criminals want you to wire money to the wrong account. The good news is that cybersecurity basics that protect you from fraud also protect your organization from politically motivated a...

NOTE: The Microsoft policy on the end of their donation program for the free and discounted Microsoft Office 365 Business Premium and E1 licenses for qualified nonprofits is shifting frequently, and we are working to keep you updated. Please check for the most recent blog or podcast from us to ensure you have the most recent update.

This podcast provides updates to our episode from June 13th about the changes to Microsoft's don...

Board.dev Co-Founder and CEO Alethea Hannemann on how to recruit tech leadership to join your nonprofit board, and why you should have tech leaders an/or a tech committee on your board helping your organization to grow and thrive.

In part 1, Alethea presents research on the benefits of board members with tech experience and gives two case studies. In part 2, she delves into how to recruit a tech-savvy board member and takes audience...

Board.dev Co-Founder and CEO Alethea Hannemann on how to recruit tech leadership to join your nonprofit board, and why you should have tech leaders an/or a tech committee on your board helping your organization to grow and thrive.

In part 1, Alethea presents research on the benefits of board members with tech experience and gives two case studies. In part 2, she delves into how to recruit a tech-savvy board member and takes audience...

When do your licenses renew? What kind of free or discounted licenses do you have? What are your options? 

Microsoft announced in the spring of 2025 that after July 1st two classes of nonprofit discounted licenses would be changing. Steve Longenecker, Community IT’s Director of IT Consulting, explains how the license discount and donation program is changing at Microsoft, and how to form a plan of action before your renewal date in ...

Are you worried?

In part 1, Nura and Carolyn covered introductions, policies, and resources on three main categories you may be worried about - cyber, data, and staff safety. In part 2, they go over budgeting for IT when your budget may be up in the air, what to move into the "nice to have" and what needs to stay in the "must have" column, resources on how to stay mentally healthy under stress, and how to make a ...

Are you worried?

The current situation for the nonprofit sector is highly changeable and changing fast. Every day there’s a new worry turning up around your mission, your funding, and your future. 

Where does your IT fit into this new world? Is your IT strategy flexible, and have you revisited your IT planning, performance, and policies? As you examine your finances, what IT is essential and where can you afford to par...