Achieving Greater Efficiency by Improving Technology Infrastructure
The executive director of The Partnership for the Homeless began to look at how technology could further his organization's mission after learning about NPower NY and its continuum of services. The Partnership for the Homeless was lacking a technology infrastructure, which was inhibiting the effective communication and delivery of its services. Instead of an office-wide email system, The Partnership staff used personal email addresses through a large Internet Service Provider (ISP). However, the lack of a network to centralize its data was the largest technological limitation of the organization. Without a network, The Partnership did not have an easily accessible database to input its clients' confidential information. This lack of technology infrastructure was further compounded by the fact that there was no one on staff with significant technology skills and The Partnership had no information technology staff or outside consultant to assist in the technology decision-making and maintenance process.
NPower NY staff worked with the senior staff at The Partnership for the Homeless to develop a technology plan. The goal of the initiative was to determine what technology, software upgrades, changes, and additions its various programs would need over the next three years to work more effectively and efficiently. Three main areas were discussed: infrastructure, technical training for staff, and an organization wide database system. One of the first steps was to create a charter to define how the organization planned to use the new technology to advance its mission. Personal interviews were conducted to assess how individuals currently work and how they interact with others in the organization. The technology plan would assess current systems but also make recommendations regarding upgrades and configurations of usable existing hardware. Also, NPower NY recommended software applications for easier case management, as well as recommended a database system. The need for email and an office-wide internet connection, including wiring and an Internet Service Provider, and a line item budget to support implementation of this plan will also be discussed. NPower NY's technology framework will enable The Partnership to better serve the thousands of homeless people who depend on its services.
David Espinosa, the Director of Operations for The Partnership for the Homeless, feels that the recommendations from the technology plan will help achieve the organization's mission by enabling The Partnership programs to make informed technological decisions about generating reports, performing client tracking, fundraising, improving accounting records and outcome management, and improve communication both within the organization and the community.
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