Why I made this course

Many of my friends at nonprofits are frustrated by their software. No matter how many hours they spend configuring their tools, the software won’t work for them and often does more harm than good.

That is frustrating, and I get it.

I’ve spent the last 10 years helping nonprofits use software to do more good with less effort. My hypothesis: when nonprofit leaders understand a few foundational principles of tech, they get more from their software and lead more effective organizations.

What you will learn

By the end of this course you will feel confident enough to navigate the software landscape and find useful tools that make you better at your job. We'll explore:

Building blocks at the heart of all software

Frameworks for becoming the boss of your software

How to ask better questions of your data

Pitfalls to avoid when buying software

How to set realistic expectations and lead through change

Other benefits

Work alongside other nonprofit leaders who are in the same boat

Hands-on teaching and coaching from a software expert

Be exposed to new approaches to solving problems

Cohort Overview

Session 1

Software Wants to Be Your Friend (and I Do, Too)

I’ll provide a brief history of software and how the landscape has changed over the last few decades. We’ll discuss why nonprofits are so frustrated and I’ll share five ways they can respond. Lastly, we’ll review results from the software inventory exercise completed prior to the session.

Wednesday, September 18th from 10:30-Noon

Session 2

Visualize Your Process

Building on the inventory from session one, we’ll map out the process your donors and customers experience as they navigate your organization. After we define your process, we’ll overlay the software you use to facilitate their journey. Finally, we’ll identify pain points and opportunities for improvement.

Wednesday, September 25th from 10:30-Noon

Session 3

Make Software Work Together

Organizations are inundated with software. No matter how hard you try to consolidate, you will always need to find ways to make disparate tools work together. I’ll demonstrate how to build a data model for your organization, and we’ll examine tools like Zapier that can automate tedious tasks and integrate fragmented tools.

Wednesday, October 2nd from 10:30-Noon

SESSION 4

Use Data to Show Your Work

Funders want more than a great story; they want the data to back it up. We’ll examine the challenges around measuring impact, questions to ask before collecting any data, and some simple ways to show your work through data visualizations.

Wednesday, October 9th from 10:30-Noon

SESSION 5

Build a Roadmap and Manage Expectations

Once we’ve defined our process, made the rules, and identified the pain points, we’ll want to make changes to improve. In this session, we’ll explore how to improve your tech stack by making trade-offs, avoiding traps, and managing change. We’ll establish a roadmap of the change we want to see and step through ways to manage expectations along the way.

Wednesday, October 16th from 10:30-Noon

Bonus

Six Group Coaching Sessions

After the sessions, we’ll hold group coaching sessions once a month for six months to keep the momentum going. Cohort members will have the chance to share their work, get feedback from an expert and grow with their peers.

Dates/Times TBD

Pricing

This course is most effective when more than one person from each organization attends. Our pricing is per organization to encourage more people to participate.

Three ways this course could pay for itself:

Eliminate 1 unnecessary software from your tech stack.  (Save $1,000's of dollars.)

Automate 1 task that you spend 2 hours a week completing. (Save hundreds of hours)

Persuade you not to spend $40,000 on a Wordpress developer for your website.
(Save roughly $40,000)

$350

Per organization

Save my seat

If you REALLY want to participate, but this price creates a barrier, email ted@tedkriwiel.com with the name of your organization and one reason you need this course. I'll connect you with a foundation who has offered to cover the cost.

FAQ's

Where will the sessions be held?

On Zoom and in person at the Elevate classrooms. Address: Broadway Autopark at 303 S Broadway Wichita KS 67202

How many people from my organization can I bring?

This work will be more powerful and more fun if you bring your team. We’d suggest no more than three people, though.

What if I can't attend all the sessions?

I'll miss you! (But I know you are busy.) I'll send an email summary following each session that includes a Zoom recording of everything we covered. Even if you can't attend all of them, you'll be able to follow along and stay on track.

I don’t know very much about software. Will this be over my head?

No! We made this specifically for you. The content is approachable, and you will receive plenty of personalized help.

How many people will be in each cohort?

We have room for 12 organizations (20-30 people).

How much work is required between each session?

We’ll limit the work required between sessions to no more than an hour. Applying the concepts and frameworks you gain through this course will unfold over months and years as your organization adapts and grows.

Do you have a refund policy?

I’m really confident this will improve the way you use software in your organization. If you go through the course and it doesn’t meet your expectations, I’ll refund your money, no questions asked.

Become a tech-savvy nonprofit in five weeks.