Trustees’ Week earlier this month provided the perfect opportunity to reflect on where your organisation is with its IT strategy, and to look at ways in which IT can help staff to be more efficient and impactful. Building an IT strategy often poses a challenge, especially for charities that may not have an extensive…
Welcome to the Smartdesc October newsletter. October is Cyber Security Awareness Month, so we’ve included some useful resources on achieving Cyber Essentials, and the key areas charity leaders should be focusing on to improve their cyber security. You can also benefit from free cyber and data protection consultations with one of our subject matter experts.…
In today’s digital age, cyber security is more crucial than ever, especially for charities that may be seen as easy targets by cyber criminals. Although the technical aspects of cyber security can be daunting, focusing on a few key areas can significantly enhance your organisation’s security posture. Here are the top five areas charity leaders…
Welcome to the Smartdesc September newsletter. This month, we are thrilled to invite you to a free networking event for anyone involved in IT at charities – our Charity Leaders Winter Social on 7 November at the Microsoft Experience Centre. Also, don’t miss our blog on important changes to Microsoft licensing, upcoming webinars on Data…
A guide to help you understand what the Microsoft New Commerce Experience (NCE) is, how it affects the licenses you buy, and the benefits of moving to NCE from an Enterprise Agreement (EA). If you are a nonprofit organisation that uses Microsoft 365, you may have heard of the New Commerce Experience (NCE) that Microsoft…
Welcome to the Smartdesc August newsletter. This month, we share how nonprofits are solving technology resourcing issues with a co-managed approach to IT, including a video case study from WaterAid setting out how they achieved it. Also don’t miss our free charity IT community events – webinars on Subject Access Requests and Microsoft Copilot for…
Adopting a hybrid model of in-house and outsourced IT allows charities to address challenges with resourcing, removes significant HR overheads, accelerates IT strategy, and mitigates against staff frustration with IT support caused by unplanned absence and changing priorities. In this blog, we explain what co-managed support is, the benefits, and how to ensure you can…
Subject Access Requests (SARs) can be sensitive, difficult and time-consuming, requiring specialist data protection knowledge. Dealing with SARs is a legal obligation with strict deadlines. They can be especially challenging for charities with limited resources and complex data environments. Join us on Tuesday 22 October at 11am, as we share practical advice on how to…
Would you like to enjoy networking and drinks with charity peers at the impressive Microsoft Experience Centre? Join us on Thursday 7 November from 3.30 – 6.30pm for our annual Charity Leaders Winter Social, alongside Microsoft Tech for Social Impact. We are excited to be hosting this year’s event at the Microsoft Experience Centre in…
Welcome to the Smartdesc July newsletter. This month, we share our key takeaways from the insightful 2024 Charity Digital Skills Report. We also feature bespoke IT training, information on our friends Charity IT Leaders, and exciting networking and learning opportunities. Free charity IT resources Inconsistent IT skillsets often cause inefficiencies and a lack of confidence.…
