However, on a more pragmatic level, a good plan can give an organization the keys to getting the funding to pay for the plan. One of the most valuable parts of having a coherent technology plan, Joines says, is the nonprofit's ability to present it to possible donors or funding sources. Having a plan that spells out the steps a nonprofit plans to take, along with how it expects to accomplish them, can help sell the proposal to a funder. If it looks like an organization knows what its doing, people will be more likely to give them the money they need to do it. It also can show a funder that the nonprofit knows how to make the most efficient use of staff and resources to accomplish its primary mission.
Plans are valuable for more than just getting funding, however.
A good plan becomes one of the guiding documents for an organization's direction, Joines says. By laying out the specific steps the organization must take to get to its goal, a plan can keep it firmly on its path. When it comes to moving from the assessment process into the planning phase, Joines recommends any nonprofit that is worried about its ability to actually put together a coherent technology plan find some help in its community. She also recommends that nonprofits look for others who might be willing to help and have the best interests at heart, like a board member who knows a lot about technology. However, no matter how well-written or how much assistance the nonprofit gets, Joines says, a good technology plan won't be worth much unless it takes the future into account.