This story was submitted as part of the #Pledge1Gives GivingTuesday campaign, which celebrates the many ways our member companies are having an impact around the world.
By Ally Kozel, Social Impact Specialist, Okta for Good
As this year’s intersecting crises continue to unfold, it’s more clear than ever that nonprofits provide a critical safety net for our local communities. These extraordinary times are laying bare the true risks — and opportunities — of nonprofit technology. As so many organizations must pivot to remote work, virtual service delivery and effective online fundraising, funding nonprofit technology is essential.
We are committed to leveraging our philanthropy, people, and products to help more nonprofits around the world accelerate their missions with technology. Earlier this year, Okta for Good launched a $10M/3 year philanthropy commitment and Nonprofit Technology Initiative, which is laser-focused on supporting the foundational technology needs of nonprofits. Our goal is to contribute to a paradigm shift in how nonprofits are funded and empowered to make the digital transition.
Benetech is one of ten grantees within the Nonprofit Technology Initiative whose mission it is to provide communities with software for social good. With its Service Net product, Benetech is investing in the critical but invisible work of streamlining and expanding access to information on social services. Never has this mission been more important than this year, as COVID-19 has put enormous strain on the social safety net and forced organizations to rely even more on technology to address urgent community needs.
With our Nonprofit Technology Initiative, Okta is also deepening our commitment to support community needs by enabling nonprofits with technology through our products and services. With the onset of COVID-19, many organizations had to quickly transition to remote work including Achievement First, a public charter school system that believes all children, regardless of race or economic status, can succeed if given access to a great education. By using Okta’s workforce identity products, Achievement First was able to deploy critical technology such as Zoom for 2,700 staff members in only four days. This seamless support allows Achievement First to focus on providing education and supporting its families.
It’s critical for companies to support our nonprofit partners now to ensure they are prepared for the next crisis. Here’s how you can help:
- Fund for infrastructure, capacity and technology including unrestricted and multiyear grants
- Don’t just give away your products, but rather solve for enablement with pro bono support and education
- Support cross-sector efforts, like TAG’s Digital Infrastructure Task Force for funders and NetHope’s Center for the Digital Nonprofit
At Okta, we continue to be guided by our belief that nonprofits should be as powerful as their missions, and we’re inspired by the leaders who are driving change. We hope our initiative is just the starting point to address this critical need. Find out more about our work and how to partner with us on this journey here or watch the video below:
