Using digital transformation to grow the impact you make

The activities of NGOs have been heavily disrupted by the global pandemic. Not only are their services more in demand but many of their traditional fundraising methods have been curtailed.

Digital transformation can make NGOs more resilient to external forces, as well as help them grow engagement through digital channels to help sustain their activities and grow the impact they can make.

Key sector challenges we see

COVID-19 disruption: the curtailing of in-person fundraising activities means NGOs must find new digital means to connect, engage and deliver – at a time when many are facing higher demand for their services.
Growing cost pressure: NGOs are under close scrutiny to manage costs and spend funds wisely. Programs need to be managed efficiently to grow and sustain impacts.
Growing donor expectations: Day-to-day digital experiences in all areas of life mean that donors now expect more sophisticated, immediate, transparent and personalized experiences when offering their support.
Long-term sustainability: to sustain their impact, NGOs need to improve donor engagement, optimize their operational model and gain new agility to deal with funding shortfalls and surges.

NGOs are businesses too – and deserve access to the best tools and practices

The challenges NGOs have to contend with are every bit as demanding as those faced by private businesses. Nonprofits are expected to meet different stakeholder needs, often with limited resources and in a cut-throat competitive environment. Luckily there are end-to-end solutions available tailored specifically to the needs of NGOs to enable them to improve engagement and increase their impact by building a better-connected digital organization. Here’s a brief outline of what it’s all about.

Grace – and impact – under pressure

Have you ever watched a swan as it glides across a river or lake? It’s the epitome of calm and effortless grace – until you look more closely and see those powerful legs and webbed feet propelling it along, just below the surface. Running an NGO is very similar: maintaining your poise as you move towards your goals, especially if the water’s choppy or the wind’s against you, requires a lot of hard work and expertise behind the scenes. The more efficiently this work can be done, the more successfully the NGO will be able to operate. In our consulting practice for NGOs at PwC we’ve seen nonprofits under growing pressure to deliver and make an impact. They’re expected to meet the needs of different stakeholders – from donors and funding bodies to the groups they support or advocate for ― often with limited resources, and frequently in as cut-throat a competitive environment as any private-sector business. NGOs are under close scrutiny to manage costs, spend funds wisely and run programs efficiently to increase and sustain impact. Donors accustomed to digital in every area of their lives expect more sophisticated, immediate, transparent and personalized experiences when they choose to support an organization. NGOs also face the challenge of sustaining their impact by improving donor engagement (primarily by getting to know their supporters better), optimizing their operational model and becoming more agile so they can deal with fluctuations in funding. And then, of course, there’s the pandemic: COVID-19 has created additional stress by increased demand for many NGOs’ services but at the same time curtailing many of their traditional fundraising methods.

How we can help you

PwC is offering a joint end-to-end solution that helps institutions to improve engagement and grow their impact through building a better-connected digital organization. While the right technology (e.g. Salesforce.org) is crucial for transformation programs, we also look at the wider picture: with our proven BXT approach. BXT combines Business, eXperience, and Technology. We leverage technology to help you make better decisions and address business concerns, but we also look at the different experiences that people actually live through — whether it’s user experience, brand experience, or end-customer experience.

PwC and Salesforce

PwC’s a global strategic Salesforce Partner. Driven by the idea that companies should treat all customers like they're the only customer, PwC's solutions - powered by Salesforce - are designed to strengthen your client relationships and experience. From sales, service, customer management, marketing and more, we'll help you find the right Salesforce solution to meet your needs.

“We have chosen to partner with Salesforce.org because we’ve seen in practice how its technology can empower NGOs and help them address all the pain points highlighted above.”

Timo Koenen,PwC Netherlands