The Benefits of Open-Source (and Drupal) for Non-Profits
In our current economy, almost everyone -- and non-profits, in particular -- is being challenged to do more with less. Budgets are tight and web-based investments are expected to be both measurable and successful.
However, user engagement goals can be difficult to achieve without proper definition (which takes time) and the right tools. And non-profit folks often have had proprietary software licenses to get approved, funded, and supported -- which ultimately left them stuck (especially when the recession forced software companies to fold or cut back on releases & support).
Enter this new era of embracing the open-source community, which comprises a global groundswell of thinkers, doers, builders, and strategists who understand that their contributions can make the world a better place.
The open-source acceptance of late has been led by folks such as WhiteHouse.gov (which leverages Drupal as a content management system (CMS)) to smaller organizations like RARE Conservation (who use Drupal to power their global conservation efforts). They understand that solid, flexible platforms are still a reality -- and without the high prices of license fees or sacrificed user experiences.
For non-profits, the transition from being “sold” a system to adopting one (for a fraction of the cost) can raise skepticism, and we’re regularly debunking fears for people burned by technology promises in the past. Here are just a few ways open-source can help non-profits, in particular, given a typical set of publishing and collaboration requirements.
Open Design
Branding & excellent design is key, so non-profits love that they can have a talented web designer create a full visual experience that represents missions, goals, cultures, and helps drive results. Drupal has no design restrictions; sure, the web itself does (though for the purpose of maintaining standards). That means new designs can be created without technical hurdles, stringent (and often unflattering) requirements, or negative consequences to a user’s experience.
And, in the end, exceptional design helps highlight premium content, drive users to take the actions non-profits want them to take, and hooks them so that they keep coming back.
Open Tools
Excellent design working in conjunction with open-source tools can help maximize budgets and long-term impacts while minimizing headaches and time-to-market. (In fact, check out NTEN.org and the Idealware’s 2010 Open Source CMS comparison guide, which both confirm this same notion.)
By going open source, organizations have a lower barrier to entry to take advantage of already-built platforms created to handle day-to-day operations -- from publishing to internal collaboration, for example. From there, they can be customized to ideal workflows; integrated with existing databases; or tied into sharing tools (like Twitter).
For example, OpenPublish is a platform we built to give content administrators a dead-simple means for updating content regularly, but retains the power and flexibility inherent to Drupal and its community, and it can be (and has been) integrated with Open Atrium, which is a platform that gives internal teams a portal-like collaboration space. By combining these two Drupal platforms together, a non-profit can effectively accommodate its public content and private internal web requirements within schedules and budgets previously thought impossible. (And, again, without sacrificing robust features or optimized user experiences.)
And while non-profits may not be able to fund a full development project, depending on their resources, they could benefit from consultation resulting in a roadmap on how they can get where they would like to be and what open-source tools they can use to get there.
Open Engagement
Finally, promoting user engagement -- whether through feedback forms or social media tool integration -- is a snap with Drupal and open source. (After all, the people behind its ongoing growth are all using these kinds of user-engagement tools on the web regularly). So when it comes to things like enabling Facebook Connect, payment processing, member management capabilities, third-party event registration integrations, or Twitter feed updates: well, we can be confident that “there’s an app for that.”
But beyond having myriad modules that accommodate public engagement, open-source tools can be leveraged to benefit internal team engagement, as well. Aside from having an intuitive interface (much applauded in its latest release, in fact), Drupal has a host of platforms like Open Atrium that benefits non-profit teams who need to collaborate efficiently -- even from a distance -- through file sharing, updates, and decision-making.
In Conclusion
Non-profits benefit greatly from going open source and choosing Drupal to manage their content publishing and internal collaboration needs. Plus, new open-source designs opportunities, technology platforms, and user engagement tools and techniques are being introduced on a daily basis. So what’s not to love?
Comments
Post new comment