Published 03-14-03
Submitted by Good360
The results of Gifts In Kind's 2001 technology survey indicated that nonprofits' view their technology needs as an expensive and time consuming drain on their resources. In response to this, Gifts In Kind has coordinated this special program with iReady World that reduces a nonprofit's technology costs by a minimum of 30 percent. A fixed and predictable monthly technology cost will also enable nonprofits to take control of their budgets.
"Gifts in Kind International is committed to being a provider of cutting edge technology solutions for the nonprofit world," says Susan Corrigan, president and CEO of Gifts In Kind International. "The most important benefit that Virtual IT offers nonprofits is that it takes away the burden of IT and helps them to focus more on their mission, which is to spend more time serving their communities."
The beauty of utility computing is that it bundles IT services such as mainstream applications, hardware and network connectivity and delivers them via the Internet. It reduces a nonprofit's budget expense for an in-house IT department or the dependence on semi-skilled IT professionals to provide IT services. They can put aside donated, mismatched software and instead have easy access to the latest applications and technologies needed to operate more efficiently. Staff can work from anywhere in the world where there is an Internet connection--ideal for nonprofits that frequently move locations or rely heavily on volunteers. Switching to utility computing is painless and inexpensive because the infrastructure is already in place on the Internet.
A recent national United Way of America public opinion poll concluded that the top of mind concerns of nonprofits should be building a faster response time, designing better systems for communications and increasing brand equity during times of crisis. Utility computing can assure greater productivity for a nonprofit.
Gifts In Kind International (www.giftsinkind.org) is the world's leading charity in product philanthropy and the 8th largest charity in the United States. Its network of 350-plus affiliates provides nonprofits access to millions of dollars annually in product and service donations, including nearly $800 million in 2002. Gifts In Kind International operates at less than 1 percent of the fair market value of products donated, making it one of the most cost-efficient charities in the world.
Ranked by Forbes Magazine as one of the nation's best-managed charities in America, Gifts In Kind International (www.giftsinkind.org) works to enhance, empower and restore communities in need by generating and distributing corporate product donations through its network of more than 100,000 qualified nonprofit organizations. Gifts In Kind works with the corporate community to develop giving programs that achieve business and philanthropic goals.
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