66% of 2012 non-profits respondents have made a technology plan. That figure represents a 30% increase in the last five years. (The 7th Annual Nonprofit Technology Staffing and Investments Report, NTEN, April 2013)

In a 2010 survey of 2,654 nonprofit organizations by NTEN only 40% had a technology plan in place. When asked again in 2012, that number had risen to 66%.

Why the sudden surge in IT planning?  Planning reduces emergency repairs and the extra costs, lost productivity, and stress that they cause. Strong planning can also ensure that IT spending is allocated in a way that truly supports the mission of the organization.

One indicator of poor IT planning is the correlation between “infrastructure spending” and “repairs required.” Almost every dip in infrastructure investment results in a dramatic increase in emergency repairs and service costs (see charts on the right). Better planning by the non-profit in the example could have prevented this unfortunate situation. Read inside how you can team up with Tech Networks to improve your planning.