Data & Technology

With our Data & Technology offerings, we hope to empower our nonprofits partners with the technological tools and knowledge they need to thrive in an increasingly digital world. 

This page offers a guide to enhancing your organization's tech capabilities, from assessing your current IT infrastructure to exploring advanced AI tools and policies.

And, as you review these offerings and resources, don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions.

TECH ASSESSMENT

We recommend starting your tech journey with a comprehensive tech assessment. This crucial step helps organizations at any stage—whether just beginning, midway through adoption, or well-advanced—to evaluate their current capabilities and identify key opportunities. 

By pinpointing needs, pain points, and technological standing, assessments provide a solid foundation for strategic planning and targeted improvements, ensuring a more effective path to enhancing your tech capabilities. 

Below are some resources for carrying out these assessments:

• NTEN’s Tech Accelerate Assessment Tool

• TechSoup’s Digital Assessment Tool

• Microsoft’s Nonprofit Digital Assessment Worksheet 

LIBRARY OF RECOMMENDED TECHNOLOGY TOOLS

We invite you to browse a catalog of established technology tools that the Emerson Collective Technology team has curated using their professional experiences.

We hope this growing catalog will be helpful as your organization evaluates tools across a wide range of sectors and categories (including communication, customer relationship management / CRM, data and password management, and cybersecurity).

IT INFRASTRUCTURE: TECHSOUP

TechSoup is an organization that helps provide 501(c)(3) organizations with hundreds of free or low-cost technology products. Your organization can register with TechSoup to receive large discounts on useful tools.

Feel free to browse through the TechSoup catalog.

You may be especially interested in:

• Office and computing products (such as Microsoft Office)

• Cybersecurity products

• Design products

• Educational courses, including access to PluralSight One, which provides access to several data and technology classes

Please note: Unfortunately, at this time, this offering may not be available to fiscally-sponsored organizations and to those outside the United States. You may check with Tech Soup directly to confirm but, historically, this has not been possible.

FUNDING

Emerson Collective will provide one-time funding for up to $1,500 in purchases taking place in 2025. You may select as many products as you would like within the $1,500 limit.

Please submit all receipts at once, as we process this type of funding request one time each year. If you plan to purchase multiple products throughout the year, we recommend you wait until all costs have been incurred before filing for funding. Please also include a cover sheet that lists all your expenses on one page, in addition to your receipts.

NEXT STEPS

1. Purchase TechSoup products up to $1,500 total (including fees and taxes) in 2025.

2. Pay for the products using your organization’s funds. Grants are directed to the organization, not an individual, so please manage accordingly.

3. Please click here to submit for funding. We will provide funding for this offering only once each calendar year. Please hold off submitting for funding until you have completed all the purchases you plan to make during the year.

4. If you purchase multiple products, please include a cover sheet that lists the cost of each product, as well as the total amount spent across all purchases.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: COURSERA PLUS

Coursera is an online course provider that works with universities and other organizations to offer online courses, certifications, and degrees. Through a subscription to Coursera Plus, Coursera offers unlimited access to 7,000+ courses, guided projects, specializations, and professional certificates.

The platform includes best-in-class courses in data analysis and data science, IT, product management, and software engineering.

You may be especially interested in the following courses recommended by Emerson Collective’s Technology team:

Data Analysis and Data Science 

• Google Data Analytics 

• University of Michigan Python for Everybody

• Johns Hopkins Data Science Specialization

• University of Michigan Applied Data Science with Python Specialization

• Ethics in the Age of AI Specialization

IT

• Cyber Security for Everyone

• Managing Google Workspace

Product Management

• Digital Product Management Specialization

• The Art & Science of Product Management

• Agile Project Management

Software Engineering 

• Learn to Program: The Fundamentals

• Meta Front-End Developer Professional Certificate

• Meta Back-End Developer Professional Certificate

• Blockchain Specialization

AI

• Google AI Essentials

• Generative AI Fundamentals Specialization

• AI for Everyone

FUNDING

Emerson Collective will provide funding for up to two (2) Coursera Plus annual subscriptions purchased in 2025 (a total of $800).

NEXT STEPS

1. Sign up for up to two (2) Coursera Plus annual subscriptions. The subscription(s) must be purchased in 2025.

2. Pay for the subscriptions using your organization’s funds. Grants are directed to the organization, not an individual, so please manage accordingly.

3. Please click here to submit for funding.

AI Resource Library

Technology and data are transforming how nonprofits serve their communities, with artificial intelligence emerging as a powerful tool for amplifying impact. 

Our AI Resource Library provides a comprehensive guide to help your organization start navigating AI fundamentals, policies, and practical tools like large language models and chatbots. 

Whether you're just starting to explore AI or looking to expand your existing capabilities, this library offers curated resources to help you implement AI responsibly and effectively in your nonprofit work.

OTHER PRO BONO TECHNOLOGY TOOLS

We also invite you to take advantage of the pro bono offers provided by these companies:

• Salesforce, an account planning tool, provides 10 free Salesforce licenses to nonprofits. We encourage you to check out Salesforce, but keep in mind the time investment to get your organization up to speed on how to install and use the program effectively. Visit salesforce.org/nonprofit for more information.

• Okta, a security management tool, provides 25 free licenses to nonprofits. Through Okta, a nonprofit can ensure that only staff and approved personnel can access its information systems, email, and so on.

• Twilio provides SMS text-messaging, so that organizations can send mass communications to subscribers, manage appointment sign-ups and reminders through text, and perform other services. It offers a $500 credit to nonprofits, which equals about 80,000 free text messages (before converting to discounted fees per message).

• Microsoft offers several free services to eligible nonprofits, including Microsoft 365 Business Premium for up to 10 users, up to 50 licenses of Windows 11 Professional, and Power Apps for up to 10 users. They provide significant discounts on additional licenses and users beyond the free tier, plus an annual $2,000 Azure credit. Key AI offerings include Microsoft Copilot integration across their product suite, with nonprofit-specific pricing starting at $30 per user per month for Microsoft 365 Copilot.

NON-PROFIT TECH COMMUNITIES

Tech nonprofit communities are spaces that unite mission-driven organizations using technology for social impact. These groups promote collaboration, learning, knowledge sharing, and innovation, offering a space for nonprofits to connect, solve challenges, and scale ideas.

• Nonprofit Community - Microsoft Community Hub

• NTEN Connect

• TechSoup Community Forum