When planning for their organization’s technology, nonprofit leaders face a specific set of challenges. The latest technologies can help nonprofits expand their reach, increase their efficiency, accomplish more within a fixed budget, and fulfill their mission more effectively. But the pricing structures—not to mention the prices themselves—of technology tools don’t always map easily onto their budgetary needs.

It is precisely these challenges that the market for cloud computing solutions has begun to resolve for nonprofits. There are a number of inherent benefits to cloud computing that may be especially attractive for nonprofits. In the past, though, the cost of moving key company assets to the cloud was prohibitively high for many small and mid-sized organizations. Given the increased competition in the cloud market and the continued development of cloud technologies, though, that is no longer the case.

Why the Cloud Makes Sense for Nonprofits 

Cloud hosting allows nonprofits to replace physical technology assets—servers and the like—with “rented” assets hosted by a third party (such as Microsoft or Amazon). This means that some of the most expensive elements of a nonprofit’s technology infrastructure changes from a large, unpredictable capital expense to a more manageable, recurring operating expense. For many nonprofits, this is far preferable, as it leads to much more predictable budgeting from year to year.

And beyond that, cloud hosting is much more flexible and scalable than managing on-premise servers; cloud providers allow their customers to pay only for the computing resources that they need at any given time—which means that as their computing needs grow, they can incrementally increase the resources available. This kind of flexibility removes the guesswork from technology resource procurement, which is key for nonprofits who need to make the most of their operating budgets at all times.

And beyond the increased budgetary flexibility, hosting assets in the cloud provides a level of performance and peace of mind that on-premise infrastructure—if it isn’t consistently managed—does not. Nonprofits no longer have to worry about maintaining aging hardware—and as long as they have a viable internet connection, they are able to access their hosted assets, from data stores to core applications, anytime.

Why Now Is an Especially Good Time for Nonprofits to Switch to the Cloud

As mentioned above, market forces and innovation have made cloud computing much more affordable for businesses of all sizes in recent years, which is good news for nonprofits. But some vendors—including Microsoft, one of the biggest—offer serious incentives for nonprofits to adopt their solutions through generous donations of computing resources. Eligible nonprofits utilizing Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform receive a donation of a considerable amount computing resources—enough to host all their assets, in some cases—which makes moving to the cloud a no-brainer for many organizations.

Deciding if the Cloud Is Right for Your Nonprofit

The inherent benefits of the cloud—flexibility, predictability, manageable costs—combined with the added incentive of deep discounts for nonprofits mean that now is the time for many forward-thinking nonprofits to switch to the cloud. But, of course, the cloud isn’t right for all nonprofits. There are a number of considerations to think through—including security, compliance, and whether your storage and hosting needs warrant an investment in the cloud. Still, many more nonprofits can benefit from the cloud than have in the past, and it’s worth any prudent nonprofit leader’s time to consider the move.

If you’re a leader of a nonprofit in the Greater Nashville area and you’d like to discuss whether the cloud is right for your organization, we’re happy to help. Nonprofits are one of the largest industries that Affinity serves, so we have experience helping nonprofits of various sizes and budgets navigate aligning their technology with their missions. Contact us today to schedule a conversation about the cloud and your organization.