“We believe that nothing should stand in the way of progress, and technology should be used to the full to achieve what previous generations

could only dream of.

You are experts in your field, you don’t need to be experts in the latest networking technology. Trust us to provide the best network infrastructure

and enable technological advances to your business”Anthony Senter – Managing Director, SDWAN Solutions

How technology will impact the third sector in 2020

COMPILED BY:WWW.SDWAN-SOLUTIONS.CO.UK

Charities seeking technology partners – the Charity Risk

Barometer’s report states that short-term views limit charities

grasping new tech opportunities and impeding charities

spotting potential risks, such as data hacks and fix issues such

as slow tech applications and sites, which drive donors away.

Does your Risk Barometer work? – when compiling

the ‘Risk and Reward in an Uncertain World’, 200

charity leaders were asked how far ahead their charities

were assessing risks. One in five said only over the

coming 12 months.

Risk assessment can help futureproof

Research shows that just 40% of charities

look beyond three years in terms of risk

assessments, such as funding drying up or

ways to react to funding lessening. Looking

into cost savings now can help futureproof

charities.

Ways to futureproof charitiesWay back in 2015 The innovation charity Nesta saw digital technology playing a bigger role in most of charities’ activities in the coming years. A trend that grows year on year across all sectors as tech embeds

further into everyday life

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Cash is ‘old’ -Annabelle Risdon, director and head of partnerships at shopping and fundraising website Give as you Live, has stated that with cash use declining, many charities are facing enormous difficulties in traditional fundraising; having other options and even currencies is vital.

Demise of the donor – attracting new donors could be a matter of using the very tech they use to donate with! Attracting new donors is of critical importance as the average age of some charity supporters is 60 plus. Charities must attract the youth of today… and their bitcoins!

A merging of worlds for ‘real’ experience – AR

and VR give charities endless opportunities for donors to

experience beneficiaries experiences - and all in the safety

of whatever travel hub, TV studio or public space will best

benefit driving your message home… And drive donations.

A mega-trend for all sectors in 2020

Millennials and Gen Z: purchase is passe & social

media all – As the under 30’s favour experience over purchases this creates an opportunity for the third sector. Technology allows not only for greater storytelling and greater reach, but also greater interaction and experience of your issues and aims, which also provides postable content for donors’ social media pages.

Expect more tech and third sector partnerships to create a ‘real-feel’ experience

for an experience hungry generation

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Innovate to get down with the yoof – 70% of charities believe that attracting younger supporters is important. These charities are moving away from traditional fundraising methods to focus their efforts on digital channels and reaching younger supporters via social media.

Innovation and new thinking – A lack of younger and more diverse trustees presents a number of risks for charities. Research found that charities were concerned about a lack of innovative and new thinking (61%), being out of touch with the charity’s beneficiaries (61%) and a difficulty in reaching new supporters (59%).

Attracting younger donors is THE mega-trend for third sector in 2020

. Mobile on the way up

17% of online donations were made using mobile devices – a jump of 8% in 2 years. This can be construed as

charities communicating with younger people more effectively.

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Online donations not representativeAccording to Blackbaud’s Charitable Giving Report, a mere 7.2% of all

individual donations in the UK were made online. This is hugely under-

representative of online spending habits with online retail purchases at 18%

Sustainability a given

Charities, NGOs, NFPs in fact the

entire third sector is expected to

have pristine, water-tight

sustainability practices, not just

policies. Across all departments

and at every donor touchpoint, the

entire third sector must be seen to

be ethical and eco-friendly.

Sometimes unfairly so when

measured against other sectors

Blow your own CSR trumpet Researchers at Forster

Communications examined the

annual reports, websites and

LinkedIn profiles of the UK top 100

fundraising charities for publicly

available sustainability and/or CSR

policies. Only two (CRUK & RNLI)

had them, while just 10% of

organisations reviewed had a

named sustainability lead.

Huge risk in downtime – with an increasingly impatient consumer [internet ‘waiting’ times down from 8 seconds to just 5 seconds!] a fast-paced world expects it all. RIGHT NOW! Downtime, slow sites and apps and buffering on video content are a complete turn-off and the consumer will go elsewhere, taking their pounds with them

Speed up your network to engage the consumer –businesses that have deployed SDWAN are seeing a 69% reduction in the amount of time a typical site is off the network in a year, and an 80% reduction in the length of individual incidents

Frustration is further grown when the consumer perceives they are doing something to help - like

donating - not BEING helped

Third sector fearsWith 41% of the charity sector citing breaching data protection as a key fear and 38% citing cyber attack as another, there is clear need for greater protection and understanding around technology and data.

Online securityWith big data, donor contacts and bank details being a target for hackers security for charitable donations and third sector bank accounts must be uber secure. One breach, one hack reputations will suffer and trust diminish. Beware!

Lack of digital strategy

A recent study by Tech Trust, a UK-based charity and

social enterprise organisation, found 59% of UK

charities still do not have a digital strategy in place,

with many lacking investment in the tools and training

needed to implement it. Technology partnerships could

negate the need for costly in-house tools and training.

Increase your impact!

92% of digitally-focused charities say they expect to increase

their measurable impact due to investment in technology,

while survey respondents also cited increased donations,

increased productivity, and efficiency as a result. We can help

you do the same!

Wifi no issue – with mobile networks providing oodles of cheap or free data there’s no fear of running out. Not so with batteries. Battery anxiety is a ‘thing’ now – yes, a real medically recognised anxiety – free, wireless charging hubs and facilities at third sector donation sites deliver captive audience potential as well as a value-add to the donor.

Prepare for the future of connectivity – to fulfil donors’ expectations and before investing in such things vast amounts of video content, AR, VR and even holograms across websites and social media, the third sector MUST fundamentally check their networks are fit for purpose, uber-fast and secure.

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The parable of quality content and the art of storytelling – years ago a brand ‘telling stories’ usually meant they were being less than honest. Today, tell a COMPELLING story via quality, well-written word & video content on a technological platform and you not only garner a donor audience, but can encourage them to donate. Immediately!

Don’t over egg IT though - both Samsung and Huawei were caught ‘telling stories’ about their smartphone cameras, claiming photographs taken on a DSLR camera were taken by their phones. Naughty, naughty! Consumers test and publicly shame brands who make erroneous claims. Keep it real and measurable.

Few sectors have as compelling a story as the third sector

Emotional giving – Donations have always been an

emotive issue, but with the growing retail trend of

‘emotional shopping’ - where CSR, eco or ethics must be

evident - the third sector can benefit from partnerships

within the retail, travel and hospitality for example

Diversification of charities - Charities are and should seek more IT partnerships to diversify, commercialise and have technical innovation costs covered. For the big brands to compete in a commercial world where ethics play an increasing role in consumer decisions, charity partnerships provide the perfect CSR solution for them. A potential win/win as long as consumers don’t perceive greenwashing… and big brands don’t seek it!

Civil society predictions for 2020Technology is rapidly changing fundraising

communication. Things will NEVER be the same now donors have increasingly gained control over

how charities communicate with them.

Civil society predictions for 2020Donors are unlikely to become more trusting and

docile, rather they will increasingly seek accountability and transparency as well as control of where their

money goes and value for their money.

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Network experts highlight FOUR enhanced security features with SDWAN– leading experts say SD-WAN can improve your security strategy, reduce data breaches and security threats, as security is inherent to SD-WAN.

Security streets ahead – SD-WAN providers are working towards partnering and certifying different security products. Some SD-WAN products automatically route all your traffic through cloud-based security parameters, before it goes out to the internet or to cloud service providers bringing greater security to users

Simplify your security – SD-WAN also eliminates VPN concerns, reduces traffic going through security and by simplifies the use of security platforms

The dawning of a new age From UNICEF to the RNLI, charities are waking up to the immense power of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology. Bitcoin IS The new kid on the

currency and therefore donation block AND appeals a younger donor

The new age of AiAi technology has massive potential, so, small wonder charities are actively looking for ways to use it in their work. The same goes for Google, and if

(or rather when) they figure it out, it will inevitably affect SEO.

The Two V’s

voice search and video content. If you want V to stand for ‘victory’ these key online trends need to factor in everything from your site to social media. Buffering is not allowed and load times must be below 5 seconds or your audience will vote with a

click… elsewhere!

The Video Age-

Video is replacing written online content at a pace. Compelling, interesting stories told in 20 or 30 second segments are ideal for a social

media savvy generation to repost. And who has better stories to tell than you?

The Ups and Downs of video-

The only ups and downs to consider are upload and download times. Get donor fundraising activities uploaded and the

messages to drive donations downloaded FAST for today’s impatient audience with a

nanosecond attention span.

A Word from the Wise

“Our dependence on digital data and infrastructure is now complete. Even if you don’t do everything online or on mobile, non-profits and foundation donors are

digitally dependent. The most important thing about this is everything! It presents us with new opportunities and new responsibilities. The safe, ethical, and effective

use of digital data is what matters most now to an independent civil society.”

Lucy Bernholz, Director, Digital Civil Society Lab, Stanford Centre on Philanthropy

and Civil Society

Another Word from the Wise “We have a disenfranchised millennium community, not brought up on

giving but on technology, so we need to find ways to engage and encourage them to give using the devices they understand.”

Grant Morgan, chief executive of Louis Kennedy, a corporate social responsibility and cause-based marketing consultancy

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2019: Was the Year of SDWAN 2020 will be even bigger!– during 2019 SD-WAN is experiencing explosive growth across all sectors and markets, as interest as the technology, vendors, and service provider offerings mature. 2019 proved a pivotal year into mainstream adoptionTest our proof of concept at your busiest sites/locations

Let the numbers do the talking - companies that have converted more than 90% of their sites to SD-WAN are realising significant improvements: 20% reduction in staffing required for the WAN, and 33% reduction in the amount of time WAN staff spend on troubleshooting.

Second generation greatness –during 2019 SD-WANs have moved out of the early-adopter phase and into the mainstream. Second generation technology, such as SD-WAN clouds are maturing right now

2020 will see mass global adoption as more organisation move to the

Cloud

“It depends principally on whether fundraisers will get clever and start building more substantial, more meaningful relationships with their donors, offering them more tangible benefits and practical engagement….The emphasis will be on the donor experience - real, useful, regular feedback will be one part of the key to this, consistent, informative, welcome and produced to a very high standard. Here are my key predictions for donations in 2020”

• Technology will bring donors and beneficiaries together

• Donors will gain increasing control of our means of communicating with them

• Increasingly, technology that helps to bring funders and recipient projects closer together will become increasingly popular to donors – for example, sites such as Global Giving www.Globalgiving.co.uk – providing the “real, useful, regular feedback” that encourages the donor to build a strong relationship with the cause.

• Technology will harness local knowledge

• Technology will enable a charity to truly understand what a donor thinks…or tweets!

• Technology will enable non-profits to deliver very, very personalised marketing messages to their supporters

Back in 2009, Ken Burnett, writer, publisher and fundraising consultant wrote in his blog about the future of fundraising. He gave these thoughts on ‘how donors would be different

in 2020’ … He was spot on!

Engage a captive audience for longer – the more time users spend on your website & tech platforms, the better. The websites with #1 ranking on Google usually have over 2000 words and a lot of video content to keep visitors entertained and engaged. This is where charities can excel - show them results of their good deeds, your worthy beneficiaries and your dedicated supporters and donations will follow… as will a following

Power the captive audience – Fast wireless charging is proving to increase dwell time and drive footfall in consumer settings and event spaces. Add this to travel hub and high street donation pop-ups and the giving goes both ways. Get intelligent software and gather insights, drive sign up and send push notifications messages. Power the people and empower them to donate in real time.

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Early adopter fearsForbes found that 70% of

businesses cite “fear,” “digital transformation”

and “cost reduction” as the major drivers in adoption of emerging/disruptive

technology, knowing they need to embrace tech.

However, around another 70% are adopting technology without specific, validated

requirements! Our proof of concept negates these concerns - test us with

your most difficult locations.

Tech partners ease fears & forge futures

aerospace know-how meets Silicon Valley ingenuity’. Planet, a

company founded by ex-Nasa scientists, uses

satellite imagery to solve the world’s toughest

challenges in agriculture, forestry, energy and

infrastructure. Technology adoption need not be a

white knuckle ride with the right partner.

Futurist tech partners will be sought across many

sectors will for sought to bring the future, now!

… So, what about our own prediction?

The exponential speed of technology is exponentially speeding up human expectation –our prediction is that those who adopt SDWAN will see their business benefit from uber-fast, super-secure, future-proofing networks, and

customer footfall and brand following will, well, follow!

Those that don’t, won’t

Sdwan Solutions are emerging as the UK leaders in all things SD-WAN and as industry innovators

– our world first SD-WAN Cloud beat Google, Cisco and all other global tech giants to

market….

We hope you found our trends and insights helpful and invite you to sign up for future trends at www.sdwan-solutions.co.uk or gain the upper hand by reading our informative blogs.

Contact us if you would like to see how we will save you time and money while increasing productivity email: info@sdwan-solutions.co.uk

https://www.sdwan-solutions.co.uk/blog1

Sources• http://www.charitytimes.com/ct/charities-must-improve-csr-restore-trust.php

• https://nemertes.com/research/2019-the-year-of-sd-wan/

• https://s16882.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Matching-Method-to-Mission.pdf

• https://www.networkworld.com/article/3336483/how-sd-wan-can-improve-your-security-strategy.html

• http://dkf1ato8y5dsg.cloudfront.net/uploads/8/147/ts-ecclesiastical-risk-and-reward-in-an-uncertain-world.pdf

• https://www.ecclesiastical.com/documents/charity-risk-barometer-2019.pdf

• https://www.forbes.com/sites/jiawertz/2018/11/28/5-trends-that-will-redefine-retail-in-2019/#738ee4ad6526

• https://www.networkworld.com/article/3328836/what-to-expect-from-sd-wans-in-2019.html

• https://www.ons.gov.uk/businessindustryandtrade/retailindustry/bulletins/retailsales/october2018

• https://www.civilsociety.co.uk/voices/the-future-of-fundraising--technology-in-2020.html#sthash.SbcGyhOO.dpuf

• http://www.kenburnett.com/Blog2020vision.html

• https://nemertes.com/research/2019-the-year-of-sd-wan/

• https://www.sdwan-solutions.co.uk/about-us