Elaina Buzzell

Tag: nonprofit

March 1, 2012

The Value of Vice: Re-thinking our bad habits

What? The Value of Vice?

"Bad Habit Baby" by Flickr user HidingInABunker

I know that sounds crazy, but hear me out. I once took a class on using yoga to address addiction, and my favorite lesson was on recognizing benefits that we receive from our bad habits.

Examples of these benefits include people who feel relaxation from smoking, someone who addresses social anxiety by drinking or another who escapes a negative memory by using drugs.

Just to be clear, I am not encouraging people to smoke, drink excessively or do drugs, as these habits have numerous and severe negative consequences. However, by recognizing and addressing the benefits received, people can search out positive ways to access them, which helps them be more successful in leaving their addictions behind. Read the rest of this entry »

February 21, 2012

Understanding Total Cost of Ownership

Posted on Idealware on May 24, 2012.

As budgets at nonprofits are always tight, the first question about a new project is usually “How much is this going to cost?” It’s a question that makes most consultants cringe, not just because the wrong answer can cause them to lose the project, but because deciding solely on cost doesn’t always lead to the best decisions. Read the rest of this entry »

February 14, 2012

Planning for Your Next Technology Project

A technology project can be a large source of stress for nonprofit organizations. Not only is this likely going to be an expensive addition to your budget, but, as many nonprofit leaders don’t have a technology background, it can be hard to have faith that you’re going to end up with a tool that meets your needs well.

A great way to reduce that stress is to do some planning for your project on your own before starting to get bids. This kind of planning doesn’t necessarily require tech skills, but just an understanding of where you are and where you’d like to be.

Taking on some planning on your own will not eliminate the need for any planning to be included in your technology project, but it will help you better ask for the features that you need, make better choices about your options, and stick to your budget. Read the rest of this entry »

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