While nonprofit organizations are designed to help others, it is ironic that they sometimes are not able to help themselves. Nonprofits are confronted with challenges and difficult tasks when it comes to providing services to those in need. Unfortunately, that can be a tall order if the organization lacks the tools, budget, resources and time needed to properly manage all of their obligations. In an era of shrinking budgets, nonprofits must find a way to streamline activities and provide a positive return on citizenship.
ERP software can help achieve this goal if the organization selects the right technology. Throughout the selection process, nonprofits need to focus on financial transparency, process optimization and keeping pace with grants and donors – if they do not seek guidance for this, they will fail their constituency. Nonprofits also need to be able to respond efficiently to changing compliance and regulatory requirements no matter how complex the requirements. Your organization should create a detailed report of grant expenditures that are tied to restricted grants in order to increase transparency with donors and funding agents, and satisfy reporting requirements.
It seems so easy in the beginning. The nonprofit goes through the process of interviewing several software vendors without the help of a consulting firm and without the goal of minimalizing the total cost. Implementing software is not as easy as advertised, and often the software is not the problem – it is the organization. The nonprofit selects a relatively inexpensive software that is supposed to work “out-of-the-box.” The vendor implements the software, provides training and then leaves. When all is said and done, the ERP system becomes a constraint instead of an asset. Like secondhand clothes, they never fit as well as a tailored suit.
However, it is never too late to engage an ERP project recovery team to guide you through a tried-and-true process that will determine if you should invest more money into configuring the current system or invest in new software that would be a better fit for your organization.
Public sector ERP consultants can help nonprofits select and implement a fully-integrated ERP system specifically designed for dynamic organizations. They ensure that processes continue to run smoothly despite the disruption of new software. By selecting the correct software from the beginning, nonprofits have the framework to quickly respond to evolving requirements and increasing scrutiny. ERP consultants can carefully select the right ERP system for your organization while minimizing cost and operational disruption.
It is critical for nonprofits to have the right resources at the right time to help them provide critical services to their community. Let us help you provide that return on citizenship and turn a non sequitur into a no-brainer ERP implementation.
Learn more by registering for our on-demand webinar, Organizational Change Management in Public Sector ERP Implementations.
Written by Rich Farrell, Senior Manager of Client Services at Panorama Consulting Solutions.
