The Tech That Comes Next

Chapter ThreeChanging Technology Culture and Investments Inside Social Impact Organizations

Technology can accelerate the work of social change. It can also disrupt progress, exacerbate harms, and reinforce barriers. For technology to contribute meaningfully to the work of building a better world, social impact organizations need a cultural understanding of tech that keeps the focus on the mission and community—not on the tools themselves. They also need to invest strategically to meet that mission.

Technology changes every day—not just new apps on the market, but also updates to the tech you already use. Phones ping with application update notifications; sign‐ups are tracked with a new event registration platform; an organization pilots a new customer service chatbot while their affiliate branch tests an SMS messaging service. With technology permeating most areas of life, organizations need to be intentional about how they adopt technology. Do staff and program participants, as well as the community at large, have the training and skills to keep up with the changes? Do organizations have the budgets to invest in technology best suited for community needs? For many employees of social impact organizations, the most pressing question is: How do I use technology to help me do my job more effectively, more efficiently?

Technology isn't going to solve everything—or anything—for us, but we certainly won't get far without it either. Shifting both the culture and investments around ...