To Buy or Not to Buy?

New and Used Technology

By Ty dePass

Nonprofit Quarterly

http://www.nonprofitquarterly.org/index.php?view=article&catid=83%3Atechnology&id=860%3Adeciding-between-new-and-used-technology&format=pdf&option=com_content&Itemid=131

Without current "up-to-date" technology can organizations in the nonprofit sector really succeed to their full potential? This is a question and large problem for many smaller nonprofits with a limited budget. It is clear that without up-to-date computers, scanners, printers, etc., many organizations cannot complete even the easiest tasks that many large organizations take for granted. With social media and the use of the Internet at an all time high and increasing, many organizations, especially smaller nonprofits are really at a disadvantage without "up-to-date" technology in their organization. As explained in the article, "Deciding Between New and Used Technology" nonprofits understand the importance of technology but many cannot keep up with the ever changing advancement of new technology and are relying on recycled, donated, and refurbished items. "...many smaller nonprofits lack the resources to take
advantage of the new technologies, falling into what the Kellogg Foundation has termed the
'organizational divide,'" according to Ty dePass. 

After hearing and working in a number of nonprofits, I have noticed that a large percent of these organization's technology  are very out of date. Things such as printers, computers, fax machines and scanners have been donated or bought in in the 1990s and not updated. Although this article was published in 2002, I believe that this is still a timely issue for a majority of nonprofits. Does it really make sense to buy used technology? I think that if you invest into a new, more expensive item in the long run you will end up saving money because of the longevity of this item. If you cannot afford to buy something new sometimes renting is another choice. Another problem may also be that many nonprofits are so content with their current  and in some cases "non-technology" way of business that they are afraid of new technology. However, many are finding out the hard way of how important and vital technology is and will always be.