Is Your Non-profit Paying Higher Technology Costs Than Necessary

By Bethany K. Skwara, Client Solutions Director, Chroma Studios

If you know me and you work for a nonprofit, you have probably heard me say something like this:

“Never feel guilty asking for donations. You are not asking people to give to you personally. You are inviting them to support a mission you believe in.”

I genuinely believe that.

Most nonprofit leaders, volunteers, and staff I meet are deeply passionate about the work they do. They serve communities, support people, preserve programs, create opportunities, and try to make the world a little better with limited time and limited resources.

What I find myself saying more often lately is this:

“You should be just as aware of the funding and resources your organization may be unintentionally missing.”

Through my work with Chroma Cares, I have seen many nonprofits paying higher technology costs than necessary, simply because nobody had time to review the systems already in place. Sometimes nonprofit discounts were available and nobody applied. Sometimes important accounts were set up years ago and forgotten. Sometimes organizations were just too busy doing the real work to notice that better tools existed.

Small technology inefficiencies add up, especially for organizations operating on tight budgets. Here are the issues I see most often, and the questions worth asking if your organization wants to make the most of every dollar.

Your Payment Processor May Be Charging You More Than Necessary

This is one of the easiest places for nonprofits to leave money on the table.

I regularly speak with organizations using donation or ticketing systems that were set up years ago and never revisited. Maybe the founder created it as a personal account and never thought about it again. In many cases, nobody ever applied for nonprofit rates through the processor itself, whether that is Stripe, PayPal, or another platform.

Depending on the platform, nonprofit pricing may be available for donation processing, event ticketing, ACH payments, and recurring giving. A small percentage difference may not sound dramatic at first, but over a full year those fees add up quickly.

It is always worth reviewing your processor setup and asking, “Are we actually configured as a nonprofit account?” You would be surprised how often the answer is no.

Many Nonprofits Still Pay Retail Pricing for Technology

This is another big one. Organizations frequently keep paying full price for email hosting, office software, cloud storage, video meeting platforms, and collaboration tools, while programs from Microsoft and Google offer discounted or even free access for eligible nonprofits.

Google for Nonprofits also includes access to Google Ad Grants, which can provide qualifying organizations with up to $10,000 per month in Google Ads credits.

I cannot tell you how many times I have spoken with organizations that either never knew the grant existed, started the process years ago and never finished, or had the account suspended because nobody was actively managing it. Google sets performance benchmarks for Ad Grant accounts, so active and informed management is essential.

The grant itself is only part of the equation. The website and messaging behind it matter just as much. But for nonprofits trying to raise awareness, recruit volunteers, promote events, or grow donations, it is a remarkably valuable tool.

TechSoup Remains One of the Best-Kept Secrets

Many small nonprofits have either never heard of TechSoup or have never fully explored what is available there. TechSoup provides access to discounted software, security tools, hardware, educational resources, and technology services. For smaller organizations especially, these programs can open the door to tools that otherwise would not fit the budget.

Your Donation Page Matters More Than You Think

Nonprofits work hard to earn trust and attention from supporters. Unfortunately, I often see organizations lose donations right at the finish line because the giving experience is confusing or outdated.

Common issues include donation pages that are difficult to use on mobile, too many required fields, slow-loading forms, limited payment options, no recurring giving setup, and donation systems that feel disconnected from the organization’s branding. People want to support causes they care about, but the process needs to feel simple and trustworthy. Small changes to the donation experience can make a surprisingly large difference in completed donations.

“The Intern Set It Up” Problem

Honestly, this may be the single biggest issue I encounter.

A volunteer or eager intern builds the website. A former board member creates the Facebook page. Someone’s nephew sets up the domain. An old staff member creates the donation platform.

Then life happens. People move on. Passwords disappear. Nobody knows who owns what.

I cannot count the calls I have taken about lost passwords, social media accounts tied to personal emails, domains nobody can access, website logins that vanished years ago, and important systems with zero documentation. This is an enormous issue for nonprofits, because turnover is natural in volunteer-driven organizations.

One of the best investments a nonprofit can make is simply documenting account ownership, login credentials, renewal dates, administrative contacts, and vendor relationships. It is not glamorous work, but it prevents massive headaches later.

AI Tools Can Help Small Teams Do More

I know AI can feel overwhelming right now, but for small nonprofits especially, there are some genuinely useful opportunities emerging.

I am seeing organizations use AI tools to draft social media posts in platforms like Canva, write newsletters, prepare grant applications, generate meeting summaries that are automatically shared with participants, and improve volunteer communication. Some platforms are also beginning to introduce nonprofit pricing or educational discounts.

AI is not a replacement for people, relationships, or mission-driven work. But it can help smaller teams reduce administrative workload and spend more time focused on the community they serve.

Accessibility Is Becoming Increasingly Important

Accessibility and ADA-conscious website practices are becoming a much larger conversation for nonprofits and public-facing organizations.

The important thing to understand is that accessibility is not a one-time plugin or checkbox. It is an ongoing process that touches website structure, readability, mobile usability, image descriptions, document accessibility, and ongoing monitoring as standards evolve.

Organizations that begin addressing accessibility proactively are usually in a much better position than those forced to react later under pressure. Some plugins that manage ADA compliance on an ongoing basis carry little or no cost for nonprofit organizations.

Technology Should Support Your Mission

At Chroma, many of our nonprofit conversations start the same way:

“We did not realize this was available.”

“We did not know we still had access to that.”

“We have been paying for this the whole time?”

“We have no idea who owns the account.”

We work with nonprofits every day to untangle technology issues, improve systems, organize access, modernize websites, and identify tools or discounts that better support both mission and budget. Through our Chroma Cares reduced nonprofit pricing, long-term partnerships, and practical guidance, our goal is simple: helping organizations spend less time fighting technology and more time serving their communities.

Learn more about Chroma Cares at chroma-marketing.com/chroma-cares-community-support.

At the end of the day, technology should support your mission, not quietly drain resources away from it. Sometimes the biggest improvements are not flashy redesigns or expensive new systems. Sometimes they come from better organization, asking the right questions, taking advantage of nonprofit programs, and making sure the tools you already rely on are actually working for you.

If your organization is unsure where to start, we are always happy to help you take a closer look at what opportunities may already be sitting right in front of you.

About Chroma Studios

At Chroma Studios, we blend creativity, technology, and strategy to deliver stunning websites and custom digital marketing solutions. For 25 years, we have been committed to client success and community impact, helping our clients realize their goals and make a lasting difference.

Reach out to me today to learn more about how we can support your digital marketing needs. My name is Bethany K. Skwara, and I’m Chroma’s Client Solutions Director. You can email me at Bethany@chroma-marketing.com or call 724-523-3001, ext 105.