Elaina Buzzell

Eight years ago, I was looking into getting a kitten when a friend’s cat had an unplanned pregnancy. A few months later, Anya came to live with me, and I’ve had a good, if rude and rambunctious, friend since.

Anya was a free kitten, but I have made many investments in her since she came into my home. Litter, food, toys, vet visits and vaccinations have all added up over the years, and I have also spent a great amount of my time playing with and caring for her. To put it gently, if I had I insisted on my free kitten remaining free, our relationship would failed at the outset. Read the rest of this entry »

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 »

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 »