Empowering Educational Advancement: Innovative IT Solutions for a Global Nonprofit Association
Overview
A prestigious global nonprofit association, devoted to uplifting educational advancement professionals, recognized the need for a sophisticated and contemporary IT infrastructure to support its expansive initiatives. Annually, the organization orchestrates over 140 conferences and workshops worldwide, actively engages in advocacy and research and provides invaluable professional guidelines and educational materials.
Before 2011, the association managed its technology in-house but realized the need for more specialized expertise. After researching various service providers, they chose designDATA, impressed by the team’s extensive experience working with nonprofit organizations.
It was pretty amazing how we transitioned with designDATA during a pandemic when all of our offices shut down at slightly different times. There weren't any notices in our Washington DC office because it was reported that someone in our building had tested positive for COVID-19 — everyone grabbed their laptops, went home, and we got them back online almost immediately.
Our Promise
Since initiating their partnership in July 2011, the association has enjoyed seamless and efficient operations, supported by a well-orchestrated network and accessible day-to-day help desk support. designDATA was pivotal in facilitating a smooth transition to remote work during the pandemic, ensuring the association’s global mission to advance education remained uninterrupted.
FUTURE-PROOFED INFRASTRUCTURE
The association now enjoys a state of operational readiness for both present and future challenges. From routine network configuration to annual large-scale infrastructure projects, the organization’s technological backbone is robust, adaptable and ready for the evolving landscape of educational advancement. A strategic roadmap, developed in collaboration with designDATA, has provided the association with a proactive stance and clear cybersecurity policies, ensuring uniformity in device usage across the board. The flexibility to adjust the IT budget in response to unforeseen challenges, such as downsizing during the pandemic, further underscores the resilience of this partnership.
TIERED SUPPORT
The association benefits from tiered support, with top-tier engineers from designDATA providing 24/7 assistance. This ensures technical issues are resolved promptly, regardless of geographical location. The partnership has also enhanced the association’s compliance posture, particularly as an online merchant. designDATA’s expertise simplified the PCI compliance process, allowing the association to focus on its core mission while ensuring data protection and compliance.
STEADFAST OPERATIONS
The association’s collaboration with designDATA guarantees disruption-free operations, with a proactive maintenance and monitoring strategy that maximizes system reliability and minimizes outages. The swift transition to remote work during the pandemic is a testament to this resilience, with designDATA ensuring a rapid and seamless online transition.
Their leadership is very available, and if I have any issue that I need to kick upstairs, they will take my phone call and help me resolve it. That availability to talk to someone when you have an issue you need to resolve is the biggest thing for me.
Looking Forward
Thanks to its strong partnership with designDATA, the association has successfully established a modern, sustainable and resilient IT infrastructure. This has significantly boosted its operational efficiency and capacity to support over 90,000 educational advancement professionals worldwide.
