Services

Overview

The "digital divide" is a term coined to describe the socio-economic gap between communities that have access to technology, and those that do not. Typically this term is used to describe the technological disparity between poor and rich countries throughout the world. Unfortunately, there is a similar gap occurring between the public and private sectors.

Idealist Consulting, with help from various private sector contributors, has developed four fundamental solutions designed to close this gap. By implementing this technology, you can expect to maximize your fundraising potential, enhance the promotional reach of your mission, and strengthen the internal and external communication of your organization. Below you may reference the services we provide. For specific information relating to one or more of our services, contact us.

Database and Google Apps Development

For a nonprofit to succeed, it must have a well defined mission with tangible results. These characteristics are essential in order to be attractive to funders, donors, volunteers and other potential supporters. A good database is specifically designed to help organizations manage and maintain these characteristics. Idealist Consulting specializes in the Salesforce.com nonprofit edition, as well as Convio Common Ground. Moreover, we are well versed in the deployment of Google Apps and can help your organization integrate the following Google Apps solutions into your technical plan:

• Google Mail (w/ Postini) *
• Google Calendar *
• Ad Words *
• Google Chart *
• Google Sites
• Google Apps *

*Salesforce integrations available.

Web Design

Many NPOs build a website only to utilize it as a "descriptive billboard". A website can be much more than that. By integrating your website directly into your database and online fundraising capabilities, you can create a holistic foundation of technology that will not only increase fundraising potential, but enhance your ability to track and report on the online relationships you develop with your staff, donors, members, volunteers and interest groups. Reference our web portfolio for examples of our work.

Strategic Technical Assessment

Selecting the proper technology for your organization can be a daunting task in today’s marketplace. With so many options to choose from, it can be nearly impossible to properly evaluate the right technology solutions for your mission. Idealist Consulting can produce a technology plan that allows you to select the correct tools for your mission, while meeting other requirements such as budget constraints and user adoption. Your assessment can be designed based on advancement of your promotional efforts, interoffice communication, business processes or a combination of all three.  Moreover, this assessment can be provided as a quick audit or as an extensive plan that focuses on your entire business process.  Much of our assessment will focus on solutions that are free to utilize, such as Google Apps.

Salesforce.com Service and Support

Idealist Consulting offers two options for organizations looking for technical support, but that do not require full CRM project deployment.  Our Service and Support solutions are ideal for organizations that need ongoing support from a tenured and experienced implementation partner, but do not need to be committed to a specific scope of work.

Service and Support Agreement:

• Pay-as-you-go relationship that allows you to utilize only the hours you need. 
• Maintains a contractual relationship for both client and consultant. 
• Reduced administrative processing. 
• Controls the hours you leverage with Idealist Consulting, reducing unplanned expenses. 

Salesforce.com Administrator Service:

Idealist Consulting offers a part-time Salesforce Administrator Service (SAS), with the purpose of strengthening its clients’ ability to perform the regular tasks required to support a Salesforce.com database application. By using the service, clients can utilize part-time, experienced Salesforce Administrators, minimizing the time, effort and cost of supporting their database, and freeing up their staff to perform tasks more directly aligned with their organizational mission. Idealist Consulting administrators are fully trained Salesforce Administrators.

For specific information relating to one or more of our services, please contact us.

Salesforce Quickstart Program

The QuickStart program is a new Salesforce Foundation initiative to help budget conscious organizations get up and running quickly and efficiently on Salesforce CRM. QuickStart implementations are delivered through experienced consulting partners who are familiar with nonprofit organizations’ needs, as well as Salesforce CRM. These projects are delivered within a predefined time and scope of work for a fixed rate of $5000. Idealist Consulting is one of five implementation partners authorized to deploy the Quickstart program. To learn more about the Quickstart program, click here or contact Idealist Consulting directly.