UC Berkeley

The proliferation of mobile technology has opened up opportunities for more effective services through improved work processes in nonprofit organizations. Contrary to the potential of mobile technology, few nonprofits fully exploit the capabilities of mobile technology. We present results of a qualitative study of current usage of information technology in nonprofit organizations, and explore the reasons for the underutilization and potential opportunities of mobile technology. We categorize the type of nonprofits with regard to the types of public engagement and identify the challenges of adopting mobile technology to bridge the gap between the current and potential use of mobile technology. Finally, we provide implications that reflect common needs and unique characteristics that nonprofits share with regard to mobile technology for data collection.