How remote connectivity propels NGOs ahead of the pack

Imagine a dedicated field worker in a remote village, miles away from headquarters. She needs immediate access to crucial donor data. Not only her: she’s one part of a global team of volunteers scattered across continents that needs to collaborate on a critical fundraising campaign in real time. In today's hyper-connected world, these scenarios are not just possible; they're becoming the norm.

But many NGOs still struggle to adopt the tech they need to make these scenarios possible. For some, it comes down to mindset: many NGOs still don’t view tech adoption as an investment. For others, the issue is risk aversion, lack of tech expertise, or insufficient funding. Overall, only 11% of non-profit organizations feel that their approach to digital is “highly effective”.

This creates a widening gap between those embracing tech and those lagging, translating into lost opportunities, slowed impact, and a struggle to attract and retain top talent. The good news is that this gap is far from insurmountable. And the key to bridging it lies in one critical capability: remote connectivity.

The business case: remote connectivity for non-profits

Take Salvation Army Australia, a TeamViewer customer. With 10,000 employees situated in 200 offices across the country, the Salvation Army needed to implement a new national IT structure. Specifically, they needed a future-proof, secure digital remote work environment for the entire workforce at enterprise scale.

Thanks to TeamViewer Tensor’s SSO integration and simple installation process, Salvation Army successfully rolled out remote access and device management to thousands of devices simultaneously, in just a couple of hours.

The Salvation Army Australia story is a testament to the transformative power of remote connectivity for NGOs. Here's how it empowers nonprofits to achieve unparalleled efficiency and outpace the competition:

1. Collaboration without borders

Gone are the days of geographical constraints. A robust connectivity platform can enable seamless real-time collaboration between staff, volunteers, and partners scattered across the globe. No matter where they are, teams can access necessary files, applications, and data they need to keep projects moving forward uninterrupted—even in the face of travel limitations or logistical hurdles.

2. Centralized device management for better efficiency

Many of the NGOs we work with need to move on from the patchwork management of their org-issued devices. Centralized device management allows IT teams to remotely deploy, configure, update, and troubleshoot any device, anywhere. This translates to less downtime, fewer support tickets, and a workforce empowered to focus on their core mission, instead of dealing with tech issues.

3. Tapping into the talent pool by building a hybrid workforce

The NGO world is not immune to the growing prevalence of hybrid work environments. In many ways, hybrid work meets the demands of the modern NGO in ways that traditional configurations cannot. You won’t have to look long to find an NGO with staff that works both in-office and remote—not just because they want to, but because the nature of the mission requires it.

At the same time, most NGOs face the same labor shortage problem facing the rest of the business world. Today, the ability for NGOs to attract and retain depends, at least in part, on the ability to provide a flexible (and reliable) hybrid work model. As the National Council for Nonprofits puts it in their 2023 workforce report: “When nonprofits cannot hire enough employees to provide vital services, the public suffers”.

With a remote connectivity platform, skilled individuals can contribute from anywhere, regardless of location, opening doors to a wider talent pool and promoting inclusivity within the organization.