NPower transforms Charlotte’s nonprofit community through technology
Guest Post by Lindsay Jones, NPower Charlotte Region
Pictured Above: The ability to provide remote support was critical for World of God, a nonprofit client that provides sustainable aid to children in Haiti and Liberia.
At NPower Charlotte Region, we believe technology can change the world of nonprofits. However, without the support of our corporate partners, this change would not be possible. Last month, our long-time partner, Microsoft, helped further this change by donating Microsoft software and exam vouchers to support NPower’s mission.
Microsoft’s donation helps transform Charlotte’s nonprofit community through technology advancement and innovation. The donated software gives NPower the ability to work virtually, supports our new tech center and increases the overall professional delivery of our technology solutions.
Specifically, the Windows Server Family gives our NPower staff mobility, allowing consultants to work with clients easily in the field. Virtualization is essential to providing IT support to our nearly 100 nonprofit clients in a 14 county area and this software makes this possible. York County Adult Daycare (pictured left), an organization that provides activities and support for adults with specialized needs, consists of three different sites supported by NPower in Rock Hill, York and Fort Mill South Carolina. With NPower’s mobile workforce, enabled through Microsoft technology, we can support York County Adult Daycare’s technology so they can fulfill their mission of providing a loving, caring environment for those adults who need it. Virtualization allows us to go directly to the people we serve making a broad footprint in technology innovation.
NPower recently launched a Community Tech Support Center, which provides help desk support to more than 25 nonprofits in the Charlotte area. Windows 7 will enable NPower’s technologists to quickly address nonprofits’ IT problems and find the right solution for all of our clients. This software also gives us the ability to expand the Center to offer support to more than 100 clients on a variety of projects including Managed Services and website support. This ability to provide remote support was critical for World of God, a nonprofit client that provides sustainable aid to children in Haiti and Liberia. After the January 2010 earthquake in Haiti, World of God needed to modify their website immediately to solicit support and aid for victims. Our client, who was in Haiti at the time of the earthquake, was able to work with NPower remotely to make necessary web site changes to respond to the crisis.
At NPower, we pride ourselves in providing IT support for nonprofits that rivals what you might find in the corporate world. The Microsoft Office 2010 Suite used by our consultants, gives us a professional, high quality delivery of products and services for our nonprofit clients. Having been accustomed to a high level of professionalism found with their corporate volunteers, United Way of Central Carolinas selected NPower to function as the CIO for their organization based in part on the quality of our solution delivery. Microsoft’s donation helps NPower support not only United Way but the 93 agencies they serve, each addressing the basic building blocks of a better life through education, financial stability, and health.
With the down economy, training opportunities throughout the corporate and nonprofit sectors are limited. The donated exam vouchers will help our IT engineers maintain their high level of technology expertise and quickly get up to speed on the latest Microsoft products and services to better meet our client needs. With these tools, we are equipped to help Charlotte’s nonprofit community do more with less. Thank you, Microsoft, for the generous donation and for your continued commitment to supporting nonprofit technology advancement.
About NPower Charlotte Region
NPower Charlotte Region is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit technology consultancy that works exclusively with 501(c)(3) organizations. NPower Charlotte Region is part of the national NPower network and serves the 14 county region surrounding Charlotte, NC. NPower works with nonprofit organizations to improve current technology and implement needed technology programs to achieve improvements that enable them to better serve their clients. Visit NPower Charlotte Region at www.npowercharlotteregion.org. (Pictured left: NPower Charlotte Region Staff)
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