After decades of working with our nonprofit clients, we noted they often lack the skills and resources to fully capitalize on the digital tools we provide—websites, social strategy, e-newsletters, search engine marketing, analytics, and other platforms that increase online engagement and measure impact. What could we do to ensure nonprofit staff not only know how to use the tools we deliver but also how to develop a strategy around that use?

In 2017, we began developing DIG to help nonprofit staff gain the skills, perspective, and strategies they need to leverage digital platforms to raise funds, engage stakeholders, and better serve communities on their own and without the constant need of outside consultants.

The program results in a Digital Impact Plan—a strategic and tactical playbook for a digital strategy that nonprofit staff create and implement in a real-world campaign.  Along the way, they also learn what consultants know:  how to think strategically about digital engagement, including how to make data-driven decisions, find areas of strength or weakness, or identify a return on investment.

An effective digital strategy enables organizations to deliver on their missions and meet their strategic goals. Generally, nonprofits have two choices:  hire a consultant to deliver a one-time digital strategy, or ask staff to learn on their own.  Both approaches are expensive in terms of dollars, time, and resources.  Instead, nonprofits need cost-effective training that results in a practical and usable product, improves staff skills, and embeds learning within the organization.

DIG offers another option. Participants in this in-depth, cohort-based program walk away not just understanding how to use digital tools but how to design and run digital campaigns—defining the goals they need to achieve, the audiences they should target, the research that informs their strategy, the most effective channels to use, and the data collection methods to measure success.