Michael Gilbert spoke on the subject of Nonprofit Technology Leadership: Setting an Agenda for Organizational Effectiveness.
After evaluating our 2001 luncheon series, we launched a new series on Nonprofit Technology Leadership for 2002. The topics we are exploring have matured and become more focused and the response we've had this year has been amazing. People are ready to think critically about this work.
We picked up and developed the themes from 2001 into a presentation that focuses on how nonprofit leaders -- managers, consultants, funders, and others -- can take control of the technology agenda and position it in support of organizational effectiveness.
- San Diego, CA - 11:30 am - 1:30 pm, January 24th, 2002
- Washington DC - 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm, March 8th, 2002
The Gilbert Center hosted a series of luncheons around the country as an opportunity to network with like-minded individuals and to provide a more intimate conversational setting. Michael Gilbert spoke on the subject of The Future of Nonprofit Technology or Why I Can't Wait Until This All Goes Away. The first luncheon, held in Chicago, was very well received.
In San Francisco we had our largest luncheon yet, with people from nonprofits, foundations, and technical assistance providers coming together to look at a critical question: How do we change the conversation between technology providers and nonprofits so that nonprofits are better served?
The patterns of technological cul de sacs that many of us have experienced can be changed if we are able to develop the language and methodologies for putting technology into the service of nonprofit missions. We are good at saying that this is what we want to do, but not so good at actually making it happen. But that is changing.
Here are some of Michael's notes from the luncheons:
- the way in which the language of technology planning distorts the conversation between technologists and decision makers, and makes it hard for nonprofits to plan effectively
- the hope that I have for some changes I see emerging in the area of planning -- changes that put more vision and power in the hands of nonprofit decision makers
- the tools and principles that decision makers can apply to help make technology decisions that are deeply supportive of mission and strategy of their organization
- how all this can translate into a time when the technology "goes away" in the same sense that we don't really notice our desks or our pens
- how to build Internet fundraising systems around your current donors
- how to avoid having the technology overwhelm your mission and people
- and how to get started with tools that will really make a difference to people's day to day work in your organization
- Chicago - May 18th 2001
- Seattle - June 22nd 2001
- San Francisco - July 20th 2001
- Washington D.C. - September 25th 2001
- New York City - November 15, 2001
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