How NGO’s can benefit from the cloud

Without a doubt, cloud computing is changing the way we work and the way we communicate through technology networks. Nowadays, almost every business is using cloud computing services, so it is no wonder the fact that many schools, charities, nonprofit and non-governmental organizations are using it as well.

Instead of buying networking equipment and skilled ICT personnel to install, support and maintain the networks, Cisco Networking Academy offers an alternative in terms of cloud-based applications and services, for free, to NGOs, nonprofits or education institutions. As expected, this initiative has spread around the world.

 A study concerning NGOs around the world, conducted by TechSoup Global on 10,500 respondents in 88 countries, shows that 90% of respondents worldwide are using cloud technology, and 22% of NGOs say that they will move a significant portion of their IT to cloud computing.

That being said, let’s discuss some of the greatest benefits and advantages of the cloud for charities and NGO’s:

–          a cost reduction on cloud-based services – cloud-based services include a low capital investment. Using it means time savings and a long-term cost.

–          an easier setup – easy access to information with no effort

–          an easier access to software – there are no additional efforts regarding customization and integration of your apps

–          easier disaster recovery – once your data is stored, it’s much simpler to recover or to back it up compared to traditional ways

–          fast deployment – implementing  cloud services it’s very easy. Once you start using cloud-based services, the entire system is functional in matter of minutes

–          improved collaboration

–          easier to partner with other organizations – data can be shared by organizations in one place

–          better data organization – cloud computing allows you to organize your data the way you need it

–          storage space – there is almost unlimited space for organizations to store data vs constrained space on private computer systems

–          access to an unlimited number of apps – the organization can increase the number of applications without having to download or install anything locally

 To sum up, more and more organizations of all sizes are starting to use cloud computing technology. The  survey mentioned along with many others clearly showed that organizations of all kinds move to cloud-based services for its many benefits, effectiveness, advantages or access to data. Is it time for you to consider the cloud?