Essentials: Okta For Good

What is Okta?

Okta is a cloud-based security and identity program. They offer a comprehensive range of complex services to ensure the safety and security of all aspects of your nonprofit. However, the best thing about them is their incredible Okta For Good Nonprofit Technology Initiative.

In April 2020, at the height of COVID panic, Okta announced they were committing 10M dollars to support the foundational technology needs of nonprofits.

“As organizations around the world digitally transform, it is critical that the nonprofit sector also benefits from this foundational shift in the way we use technology and the way we can achieve our missions.”

- Rebecca Masisak, CEO, TechSoup

“We all have a responsibility to give back. Our success is linked to our communities: businesses can’t thrive unless our communities are thriving as well.” 

–Todd McKinnon, CEO & Co-Founder

$10 Million Pledge

“We’re on a mission to strengthen the connections between people, technology, and community,” and they committed $10M for the next three years to support grants and investments to do just that. With so many organizations turning to remote workers, online programming, and online fundraising, technology is finally getting some recognition in a sector that has notoriously ignored it.

Nonprofits face ever-growing challenges- some new, some exacerbated by COVID. Staffing has always been an issue, and with remote work opportunities opening up in the for-profit sector- employees are leaving their frustrating and often underpaid nonprofit positions. This departure doesn’t help that many nonprofits already lack good IT services and digital asset security.

Every nonprofit needs a vast range of complex products, offering security, flexibility, and reliability. Through Okta for Good, any verified* nonprofit organizations receive 50(!) free licenses for all Okta Workforce Identity products. About 80% of nonprofits are eligible.

Enabling digital transformation

The goal of their initiative is big and bold: to contribute to a paradigm shift in how nonprofits are funded and enabled to make the digital transition. The initiative focuses on five key areas:

• Cloud: Accelerating the sector shift to the Cloud
• Digital Transformation: enabling better communication with donors and beneficiaries, accelerating the technological culture of nonprofits
• Security: protecting critical data
• Collaboration: Growing and strengthening the ecosystems, coalitions, and partnerships enabling nonprofit technology
• Advocacy: Leading discussions with nonprofit organizations, donors, and industry partners on how to make technology more available  

Go to https://www.okta.com/nonprofits/ to apply.

This is technology you must have, it’s FREE, and it’s the first step down the road to digital transition. 

*TechSoup does the 501(c)3 verification.