Organizations of all sizes and industries are at risk for cyberattacks. Nonprofits are potentially more at risk given their limited budgets and smaller teams. They also store and collect personal information from donors, volunteers, and other community members — from addresses to financial information. Beyond that, many nonprofits are slow to adopt new technology that is common in other industries, such as CRM software and data analytics. In fact, a study by NetChange found that only 11% of nonprofits say they manage digital resources in a “highly effective” way. Nonprofits recognize the powerful impact technology can bring their organization, they just need an IT partner to help. Here’s what Co-Managed IT can do for you.
It’s challenging enough to keep up with the growing demands of running a nonprofit organization in today’s world — let along worrying about cyberattacks. That’s why it’s important to partner with a trusted IT provider like Varsity who understands your organization’s needs and how technology can help drive your organization success. Since its origin, Varsity strives to energize nonprofits and free them from the constraints, costs, and inconsistencies of an in-house IT department. We understand that nonprofits want to be focused on their mission, and hand the IT issues to a dedicated IT team.
Here are a few key reasons why you should consider a managed IT provider:
Protect Your Investments
Depending on the community you support, it’s important to ensure your investments are protected. With limited spending capabilities, many nonprofits cannot afford to have downtime, miss opportunities, or even lose fundraising funds because of a data breach.
Varsity offers three levels of security that build on each other to support growth and greater impact. They can all be customized to fit your needs and your budget. Whether you prefer to choose specific security services or need to meet specific compliance requirements, Varsity can find the best security solution for you.
Ensure Donor Trust
Trust and accountability are traits donors like to see. Forbes notes that nonprofits “have encompassed more than 12 million jobs, and public charities, specifically, have spent almost $2 trillion per year. With figures like these, it’s no wonder that accountability and transparency have become increasingly important for nonprofits. Grantors that fund nonprofits want to know that their investments are being used wisely.” It is challenging to gain donor trust, but it’s even more difficult to gain back donor trust after a cyber attack. Simply put, loss of data or compromised information can put your organization at risk. You want to be sure that any information donors give you — whether that’s personal information or bank information — stays as secure as possible.
Varsity’s security services include device encryption to protect your assets, anti-ransomware to protect your servers and workstations, and advanced email security and anti-spam filtering to protect your inbox. We can also enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), which is shown to prevent 99.9% of hackers. Additionally, Varsity can provide 24/7 monitoring for network-level threats, as well as for remote workers and cloud applications. Advanced security services such as penetration tests, vulnerability scans, and customized reports are possible with Varsity’s robust security services.
Protect Your Team and Your Community
We understand the people who make up your team and the community you serve is everything. Without them, your nonprofit would not function at its optimal potential. That is why it’s equally important to protect them. Because the human firewall is another key aspect of cybersecurity, we also recommend empowering your team members to prevent cybersecurity attacks before they occur. This case study, conducted by KnowBe4, shows how one educational nonprofit improved their security posture with cybersecurity training.
To give your team the resources they need, Varsity offers cybersecurity training services. We can ensure your team is prepared. Plus, with our CEO’s experience teaching IT skills, we can help anticipate the types of cyberattack scenarios your team may come across.
Partner With Varsity
Interested in strengthening your security services? Contact Varsity today. We have the nonprofit experience and the IT expertise to support you, your team, and your community. We look forward to customizing a security strategy to fit your needs and help you achieve greater mission impact.
