Summary: Nonprofits are probably the most diverse organizational enterprises (pun intended). How can you ensure that the LMS you invest in meets your ever-changing needs?
6 Tips for Choosing the Right LMS for Nonprofits
Many of us assume that nonprofit means not making money, but that’s not the case at all. If anything, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and community-based organizations (CBOs) need more money than commercial companies do. Their businesses and causes are expensive and have to be paid for somehow. This often involves creative income schemes, sustainable moneymakers, and optimal cost reduction. Ideally, all of this should be done without degrading the quality of the products or services. How does this facilitate the right LMS for nonprofits? And how do you select a system to suit your ever-changing needs?
1. Reassess your goals and objectives
Running nonprofit organizations is not as simple as it seems. It starts quite simply. You see a problem, you want to solve it, and you create a company to do it. But once you recognize the scope and logistics involved, you realize it’s going to cost a lot more than you bargained for. You also notice how difficult it is to find funds. Donations only go so far, and even those are hard to access. Willing people don’t know where to contribute. Even the numbers game can be tricky. Therefore, you may need to rethink your organization’s goals and how eLearning fits into them.
2. Maximize your connection
There are many donors, but they can only afford small amounts (of time and money). Larger donations from “angel investors” are rare, and there are no shortcuts to funneling them your way. This could mean that you need to reevaluate your financial goals. Can you narrow your scope of impact or widen your field of influence for better results? What assets can be digitized to reduce costs and expand reach? For example, you could use the LMS to generate a donor outreach. Then make sure your NGO LMS has tools for content creation and dissemination.
3. Plan for future growth
Nonprofit founders are born idealists, so they may not always see the big picture. You start with: “The kids in this neighborhood don’t get enough education.” “Let’s open a school!” Then you can focus on advertising the school to kids and neighbors, getting books, choosing a name, and designing uniforms. You may not stop at long-term things like grade level, education, or how teachers will be paid. Investing in LMS can help with plans. In the nonprofit education sector, you can storyboard objectives, design curricula, and communicate with colleagues. Plus, make sure that the LMS itself can support all of your programs (e.g., school schedules, student portals, certification, teacher training, parent mentoring, etc.).
4. Opt for LMS with different packages
The size and shape of your nonprofit organization will change over time. It’s not just about user numbers. You can renovate it or design it for more locations. You may need to incorporate new approaches or phase out older ones. You don’t want to have to buy a new nonprofit LMS every time you switch brands. Instead, look for an LMS series that offers versatility. At this point, you should have a five-year plan. So you have an idea of what might be shrinking or expanding. Look for a brand that can accommodate those changes and adjustments. That way, it’s easier to up sell or down-sell as needed. It could be a base package that you can scale up and down, or it could be several packages of selected features.
5. Seek vendor support services
Regardless of the experience of your team or the resources available, you may need help from time to time. Vendor support services enhance the functionality of your tools so you get the most out of your investment, now and in the future. See what support options they provide and if they are included in the base cost. If not, it might be cheaper to add advanced support services if your team is inexperienced. For example, you can contact the provider 24/7 by phone or enjoy live chat support. If you need to scale up or down, they can walk you through the process or even provide recommendations on plugins or upgrades that might be worth the investment.
6. Consider different licensing options
There are LMS for nonprofits that are “free” and may or may not require an annual license. You can get a license-free or open-source platform, but the cost usually comes in the form of technical skills. Programming and configuring them often require high levels of code. And these IT professionals have a pretty high hourly bill. However, since you’re a nonprofit, you might already have volunteers on staff who are qualified. This drastically reduces your IT budget because you get both the application and the work to be done for free! But before you make that decision, talk to your technical volunteers. You want to get an LMS you can already manage instead of adopting the platform and then struggling to find someone who can run it. especially when you want them to do it pro bono.
Conclusion
Getting an LMS for nonprofits is not the same as buying one for commercial organizations. Yes, you still want to save money by getting the best features. But with reduced access to capital, the stakes are higher. Sometimes, it could be life or death. So what tips can help you secure the right software? Reassess goals and objectives. If you want a way to manage your organization and reach potential contributors, then focusing on LMS can do both. Find a versatile LMS series that allows you to change as needed. And whenever possible, get a free open-source LMS, especially if you have IT volunteers managing the software for you.
Check out our guide for tips on choosing the best LMS for nonprofits and increasing your budget. Or start your search now using our LMS directory to choose a tool that meets your needs. You can even read reviews to see which platform exceeds expectations based on your specific use case.
