Videoconferencing for Nonprofits

You've thought about it and whether or not it could work for your nonprofit...video conferencing replacing in-person meetings.  How can you properly convey important information when you aren't in the room?  Video conferencing has come a long way in the last few years as broadband has been deployed.  And if you're not videoconferencing at least some meetings, maybe now is the time to take a serious look at its advantages (economic and social) and whether a video conference model is right for you.  Bunnie

Video Conferencing for Nonprofits
by Arron Brown, Editor of Lifesize.com

The downturn in the economy is very much upon us, small, medium and large nonprofits continue to struggle during these drawn-out and daunting times. Nonprofits have struggled particularly, and have come up against their toughest challenges yet. The constant need to tighten budgets and employees has become standard practice within many nonprofits. With nationwide cuts and reduced public activity, many nonprofits have had to act swiftly to ensure that their organizations can carry on with their day-to-day duties as normal.

Many organizations within the nonprofit sector are likely to have their offices spread across Europe and in some cases, the globe. Due to funding and budgets being cut, due to the economic downturn, nonprofits have found it increasingly difficult to travel to their other sectors for important meetings and conferences. However, due to the recent introduction of web based onferencing software this allows the nonprofit to effectively connect with members and donors anywhere in the world, using the internet. This allows them to significantly save on large travel fees, whilst being able to speak to key members of their organization. There are numerous advantages to a non-profit organization when using web based video conferencing, some of which are as follows;

- Cater to the unique needs of staff members; allow staff to be more productive, by being able to work remotely or collaborate with other staff members

- Keep volunteers updated; Train and organize volunteers upon upcoming issues and events within the organization.

- Brief the community; Allow society members to be regularly updated with company news and broadcasts.

While video conferencing is still the most expensive of all electronic conferencing options, costs have decreased substantially since the beginning of the 21st century. This has made it possible for non-profit organizations to use this communication resource more frequently, and still remain within their budgets. This includes the cost of video conferencing equipment, site certifications at conference room sites, and the conference fees that apply during a live conference. In the years to come, more innovations in electronic communications will likely reduce the cost even further, making this resource even more cost efficient for organizations of all types and sizes.

By incorporating video conferencing within a nonprofit organization, they can be rest-assured that their costs will be significantly reduced, not only this but, productivity within the organization will be much more effective. Neighboring communities and societies will also feel much less pressure without the need of travelling hundreds of miles for important meetings and discussions.