Rebecca Masisak and Marnie Webb, Co-CEOs, TechSoup Global Your organization is currently doing critical work in the United States, but you recognize the need to grow its reach and impact internationally. What models should be considered? How do key staff and boards step up to support experimentation and adroitly shape and govern the emerging structures and brand? Important lessons can be learned from pioneering TechSoup Global. As worldwide demand for its programs grew, TechSoup Global's leadership team and board struggled with developing an organizational model that would mobilize partners around a common mission and include contributions from multiple players. Like most organizations, key considerations included expansion without significant additions in headcount and overhead. Now operating in 33 countries with three distinct boards of directors, TechSoup Global has successfully built a growing global network of locally driven programs. A showcase of applicable insights, this session explores lessons learned, innovative technologies deployed, organizational models piloted and refined, and how boards influence and model the kind of leadership needed as organizations expand internationally.

1. Expanding Internationally Through Partnerships:
Practical Lessons For 21st Century Nonprofits
Rebecca Masisak and Marnie Webb
Co-CEOs, TechSoup Global
BoardSource Leadership Forum
November 11, 2010

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TechSoup Global, a nonprofit serving the nonprofit community, has
a 23-year history building sector capacity through technology.
We are working toward a
time when every social
benefit organization on the
planet has the technology
resources and knowledge
they need to operate at their
full potential.
The TechSoup Global Mission: Programs of Focus Today:

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• Corporations gain an
effective and efficient
distribution channel for
product philanthropy and
CSR activities
• Nonprofits obtain products,
relevant content, and a
community of support
• The TechSoup Network is
sustained by charging a low
administrative fee
TechSoup Corporations
Nonprofits
An innovative triple-win business model

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Essential technology from leading partners

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IMPACT & REACH RESULTS
Demonstrated and sustainable impact and reach
• 133,000 organizations have received
product donations
• More than $2B retail value of
products distributed to NGOs
• 6.6 million technology products
distributed
• 34 countries receive product
donations
• 40+ corporate donor partners
• 350,000 unique monthly visitors
• 60,000 monthly online forum visitor
sessions
• 155,000 documents downloaded
“Partnering with TechSoup has
enabled Cisco to distribute more
products to nonprofits in one
month than Cisco had expected
to distribute in one year.”
– Cisco Systems Foundation
“The technology we get from
TechSoup is so purposeful; it has
so much intent…We probably
have tenfold more computers
here that we did five years ago
and that has enabled us to put
computers into the hands of
teachers, therapists, and aides in
the classroom.”
– Kurt Ohlfs, Executive Director, Pacific Autism
Center for Education

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In 2005, corporate donors having experienced Techsoup.org in
the U.S. were interested in expanding the service
internationally.
TechSoup Global Network Partner Model
We recognized the need for partners:
• Knowledge of NGO legal structures
• Trusted brand for outreach
• Language, time zone support
• Localization of programming
• Leverage assets
• Control of process
• Sustainable
• Sensitive to local issues
Partner model requirements:

7. Page 7= Size indicates impact potential.
TSG added an indirect channel made up of third-party NGO’s,
contracted to localize and manage the broad set of TechSoup
offerings.
Mostly direct to NPOs &
Charities via web with
aggregated resources
•Community Forums
•Articles
•Consulting Resources
Mostly indirect to NGO’s
through TechSoup Global
Channel Partner Network –
In partnership with
TechSoup – products with
aggregated resources and,
in some cases, enhanced
products/services
Developing
Channel:
5 partners under contract
as of June 2006; 11 by
FY07
Possible
Future
Channel
Needs-Driven
Channel
Existing
Channel
Indirect partnership
channels enhance value
of “TechSoup Offering”
Direct to NGO’s via
web site in countries
where indirect
channel economics
are poor
•One Economy customizes for
low-income housers
•NPower NY customizes for
its NPower Basic solution
North America EMEA, APAC, LATAM
DirectIndirect
Partner Model as Envisioned in 2006

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The TechSoup solution packages expertise, process and technical
infrastructure so that NGO Partners can relatively quickly and
cost effectively deliver a product donation program
The Unmet
Need:
Donated
technology
to support
the missions
of
nonprofits,
charities and
NGO’s
The Met
Need:
Donated
technology
delivered in a
supportive
environment
to effectively
impact the
missions of
nonprofits,
charities and
NGO’s
The TechSoup Value Chain
Manage
Product
Donation
Partnerships
with
Corporate
Partner(s)
Package
Product
Offering(s)
& Delivery
Solution/
Platform
Establish &
Manage NGO
Distribution
Partnerships
Go Live in
Country/
Region and
manage
program
inquiries,
provide
support and
process
requests
Verify
Eligibility of
NGOs Using
Delivery
Solution/
Platform
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Post
Fulfillment
Support &
Returns
Processing
Fulfill
Orders
Program
Outreach
Provide
Value-
Added
Content &
Services to
Improve
Program
Impact
Manage
fulfillment
through
Corporate
Partner
7. 8. 9. 10. 11.
Setup &
Train
Partners –
Enable Local
Presence via
Web for
“TSS-like
EMEA
Solution”

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With a one-time investment, the existing technical infrastructure
established to support the Donation Program in the U.S. and
Canada can provide a scalable packaged solution
CompuMentor/TechSoup EMEA – TSEMEA
Partner NGO (PNGO)
Donor
• Deliver and support online donation delivery solution/platform
• Extend organization registration, restrictions engine, product catalog, and ‘shopping
cart’ functionality to deliver to PNGO’s a version of the TSEMEA web solution that is
ready for their branding and localization and has the look and feel of the PNGO’s
website
• Platform would have ability to accept admin fees in local currency and to facilitate
content management for localization purposes
• Packaged solution/platform would also support other corporate donation programs
administered by TS and would allow for local services to be offered by the PNGO
independently
• Provide and manage a partner portal that supports collaboration,
communication and community between PNGO’s, TSEMEA and MS
• Package products, online content on product
• Create and maintain program online content
• Manage product catalog and service pricing
• Localize all program online content – language and other adjustments as
required to fit local laws, practices and provide input for TSEMEA
• Localize eligibility requirements in terms of content as well as website
restrictions engine and provide input to TSEMEA
• Provide regular input on solution/platform requirements through Advisory
Council
Package
Product
Offering(s)
& Delivery
Solution/
Platform
Key Benefits:
• Quickest, lowest cost,
sustainable way to
scalable EMEA local
donation program
• Investment ensures
majority of ongoing
monies generated through
program stay in-country
2.

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The technology design allows for contribution from Partner
NGOs in ways that will build sector capacity in-country that can
be shared throughout the network to create value
PARTNER
LOGIN
BATCH
MODEL
REALTIME
SERVICES
PRODUCT
&
CONTENT
PARTNER
STOREFRONT
LOCALIZED
BRANDING &
OFFERINGS
ACCESSIBILITY
OPTIONS
MIX & MATCH
SERVICES
CONTRIBUTE
TO PROGRAM
PARTNER
LOGIN
BATCH
MODEL
REALTIME
SERVICES
PRODUCT
&
CONTENT
PARTNER
STOREFRONT
LOCALIZED
BRANDING &
OFFERINGS
ACCESSIBILITY
OPTIONS
MIX & MATCH
SERVICES
CONTRIBUTE
TO PROGRAM
EMEA PILOT
WW DESIGN
TECHSOUP
PNGO • Starting the pilots without having the platform
completely ready and while still planning and
designing, proved challenging
• Can be challenging to find the right partners;
may have to build
• Partner NGOs have limited capacity; need for
explicit requirements
• Reducing implementation cost through systems
and repeatable processes critical to managing
program success
• Developing marketing/outreach plans and
sharing resources throughout the network
important to success
• Communications plans critical as early as
possible due to the level of coordination
required
• Leveraging existing resources and ‘kitting’
materials on the program keys to reducing
cycle time and improving quality of rollouts
• The model works!
Learnings

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The TechSoup Global Network is a sustainable, cross-border
network of partner NGOs serving 33 countries.
United Kingdom
Russia
Mexico

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Donation Programs: Australia, Belgium, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Czech Republic,
Egypt, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Hong Kong, Luxembourg, Mexico,
Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden,
Taiwan, United Kingdom, United States.
Today, TechSoup Global’s international programs provide tools and
resources to organizations across five continents.
• Users in 190 countries visit TSG sites and participate in its online communities.
• Monthly NetSquared events in 78+ cities in 25 countries worldwide.

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Partner Profile: National Forum for Voluntary Social
Work, TechSoup Sverige
Partner Profile:
• Founded 1993
• Annual budget of
$1.5M
• 9 full-time employees,
5 part-time
• Platform for the
exchange of knowledge
& volunteering
• Focused on Sweden,
but excellent network
within the EU

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End recipient: Remote Access Proves Critical to Cystic Fibrosis
Association of New Zealand
“I’m working from home today because of the earthquake and that’s
only possible because of Small Business Server 2003 and Office
Professional Plus 2007 that we received from Microsoft and
TechSoup. It’s a huge boon for our organization, allowing the CEO
and fieldworkers access to our data when they’re away from the
office.”
Cystic Fibrosis is NZ's
most common life-
threatening inherited
disease and the CF
Association is the only
national organization
dedicated to all aspects
of the condition.

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NetSquared originated in 2005 to address the opportunities of Web
2.0 for nonprofits and by 2006 its NetTuesday meet-ups were
expanding to other cities
NetTuesday Organizer Network
NetTuesdays: A model to enable local groups to meet,
share, collaborate, and create social change
• Volunteer, Activist Led
• Freedom to develop organically
and discover results
• Hyper-local; face-to-face
• Sustainable
Partner model requirements:

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Today, NetSquared Locals are held in 78 cities in 25 countries
connected to an active online community of 27,300 members

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Founding President and CEO of i-Vission International; an
International NGO with headquarters in Douala Cameroon.
The mission of the organisation is to empower computer
literacy and break the digital divide between the North and
the South.
Graduate, holder of a Certificate on Conflict Analysis from
the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) and Information
System Engineer by profession.
Excel is convinced that we are in the information age, and
whosoever is not informed is deformed. He is motivated
and dedicated in empowering people with the ICT. His top
priority for 2009/2010 is to setup a network in Cameroon,
to combat cyber crimes.
In a nut shell, Excel will like to meet new people and
organisations who have the ambition to live in a more
secure and just world, and possess the required passion to
make it happen.
Douala, Cameroon
Asama Abel Excel
Chicago, IL, USA
Justin Massa
Justin's time is split between
NetSquared.org (where he is the
Program and Technical Coordinator)
and MoveSmart.org (where he is the
executive director)). MoveSmart.org,
which he co-founded, is a start-up
organization dedicated to fostering
vibrant and diverse neighborhoods by
empowering housing seekers through
technology to move to opportunity.
Justin is a member of the National
Advisory Board of NeighborScapes, the
Reader's Bureau of the Chicago
Reporter, and the Program Committee
of the Community Media Workshop.
He is also a co-convener of Chicago Net
Tuesdays and helps organize Illinois
Data Exchange Affiliates.
Organizer Profiles

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We learned from the successes of NetSquared.
What we did well:
– Allowed organizers to be stars
– Hands off approach to sponsorships allowed local connections to
be built
– Let organizers control the agenda, allowed local relevance
(Cameroon vs D.C.)
– Didn’t expect to last forever, location has to own it
– Recognized stars from NetSquared challenges and sparked
NetSquared Local

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We learned from the challenges of NetSquared.
• We could have provided more tools to the organizers so
that we could better measure impact.
• We could have better used our organizational outreach
and relationships to help bring visibility to NetSquared.
• We could have created a maturity model for
partnerships.

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In the article “Scaling Social Impact”, Dees
describes three mechanisms for scaling impact.
• Dissemination
– Actively provides information, sometimes technical assistance to
others looking to bring an innovation to their community
• Affiliation
– Formal relationship defined by an ongoing agreement to be a part of
an identified network.
• Branching
– Creation of local sites through one large organization.
Source:
Scaling Social Impact
Dees, Battle Anderson and Wie-skillern
Stanford Social Innovation Review, Spring 2004

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Mechanisms for scaling impact
Dissemination
Affiliation
Branching
Source: Dees, Battle Anderson and Wie-skillern, 2004
Resources
Degree of Central Coordination

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TSG began by scaling its impact through two mechanisms
TechSoup
Global
Network
NetTuesday
Organizers
Resources
Degree of Central Coordination
Dissemination
Affiliation
Branching

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And TSG continues to scale and evolve its model
Fundacja
TechSoup
GuideStar
International
Resources
Degree of Central Coordination
Dissemination
Affiliation
Branching
TechSoup
Global
Network
NetTuesday
Organizers
GuideStar
International
Partners

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Contribution Economy: Spotlight on Romania
• Collaboration with Cisco Networking Academy for IT Mentor Program throughout Romania
• Donations program
• Computer Refurbishing Program
• NetSquared Locals and social media trainings
• Indigenous volunteering and philanthropy programs
• Exploring mobile phone donation platform

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Current challenges and opportunities
• Providing support/Managing expectations
• “Marrying”/Rationalizing both programs
• Branding

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Implications for Board roles
• Promote experimentation
• Focus on requirements for choosing the right model
• Help think about sustainability options
– Earned income models
– Funding
– Low investment
• Tolerate failure as an opportunity to learn
• Encourage open discussion and honest assessment

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