At the end of every presentation that we hold in events, it is common practice for us to highlight a list of new and exciting things NGOs can expect from TechSoup in the days to come. Looking back at the fiscal year that was, I’m happy to tell you that you won’t be seeing some of the items in the list anymore – mainly because they’re now a reality!
Achieving milestone after milestone, fiscal year 2014-2015 was packed and fulfilling all at the same time. With impressive numbers and with even more impressive new offerings, join us as we go beyond the metrics and take a look back at what we’ve achieved in the past year, and what you can look forward to in the year ahead.
TechSoup Korea: Annyeong Haseo nonprofits
Just making it in time before the fiscal year ended, we’re glad to announce that TechSoup has added yet another country to its ever growing list. Thanks to the tremendous support provided by our new nonprofit partner, the NPO IT Support Center (Korea), TechSoup Korea has now been launched just this past 30 June 2015.
TechSoup Korea is an all new platform dedicated to providing technology resources that the nonprofits in Korea would definitely need. Providing their services through TechSoup Korea, long-time donor partner Microsoft will be offering its wide selection of famous household titles which include Windows, Office and also their extensive list of servers. In addition to that, cloud-storage provider, Box, is also providing a special Starter Kit offer under charity pricing.
Learn more by visiting www.techsoupkorea.kr or by contacting ethan@techsoupkorea.kr.
Netsquared: Get NGOs, Get Experts, Get Coffee
Nothing beats an actual face-to-face conversation when it comes to learning. Making that possible in the context of technology solutions for nonprofits is TechSoup Asia’s newest offering to Philippine NGOs, Netsquared Manila. An offshoot program of TechSoup, Netsquared is a community of volunteers that host casual meetups with NGOs, experts and everyone in between, to help nonprofits develop solutions to their everyday tech woes; be it in digital marketing, social media, and project management and so on.
Successfully launching in Manila last 24 February 2015, Netsquared Manila was made possible through the amazing efforts of Celina Agaton (OpenStreet Map/former Netsquared organizer), Jake Fadallan (World Vision Philippines) and TechSoup Asia’s own, Jed Adao. Since its launch, it has followed up with a Social Media Surgery session along with WWF Philippines last 21 April 2015.
Get to know when the next meetup will be by joining Netsquared Manila’s meetup page at tinyurl.com/Net2MNL
A Bigger Family: New Local TechSoup Asia Agents
Catering for six different countries has had its unique challenges associated to it. But, helping us resolve those are a list of new partner organizations which include Kitabisa (Indonesia), Yayasan Salam (Malaysia) and Vietnet-ICT (Vietnam). In line with that, our new partner organizations will be housing our new in-country agents who will be helping us deliver our services to you more effectively.
In line with the growing family, the first ever TechSoup Asia partners’ training was held as well last 24-25 November 2014 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysa (care of Yayasan Salam) to help us prepare our agents in handling all the queries you’ll have for them. This was attended by our in-country agents along with trainers such as TechSoup Asia's Director of Program Development, Simon Gee, and Connecting Up's Executive Manager of Technology Projects and Services, Pankaj Chhalotre.
Check out our staff page at www.techsoup.asia/staff to get to know the amazing local agent in your country.
The First Step: Launching of the NGO Data Pilot Project in the Philippines
Launched during our Philippine partner’s, ASSIST, Digital Strategies for Development Summit last October 2014; the NGO Data project seeks to develop a single comprehensive database of NGOs in the Southeast Asian region. With tremendous support provided by in-country partners in the Philippines such as ASSIST, CODE-NGO and Gawad Kalinga, a pilot project has now been successfully launched, beginning with the Philippines as an initial case.
Through this comprehensive database, TechSoup Asia not only aims to be able to reach out to more NGOs within the region, but be it as well to better understand the dynamic needs of each, facilitate collaboration among the NGOs and most of all connect them to even more donors!
NGO Connection Day: Empowering NGOs with Office 365
Since the release of Office 365 for Nonprofits last 2013, Microsoft and TechSoup Asia have been teaming up to spread the word about the amazing resource. This past fiscal year, both Microsoft and TechSoup Asia have made a real impact in hosting over three massive NGO Connection days to help introduce Office 365 and the amazing abilities it can provide for nonprofits. These events included two in Indonesia last October 2014 and June 2015, and another in the Philippines last June 2015 as well.
In addition to that though, TechSoup Asia also ventured into hosting the very first Office 365 roadshow in Asia last April 2015. Held in Singapore, though the roadshow was meant for a modest crowd of 50, it more than made up for content. In partnership with TechImpact, the roadshow managed to cater for the diverse needs of nonprofits that are both new to Office 365 or are already implementing it in their own offices.
Looking Forward: What’s Next for TechSoup Asia
This past fiscal year, we can truly see how TechSoup Asia has grown significantly from a platform for software donations to a versatile all-around technology resource. Such growth is accredited to the amazing support that we’ve received from you! Through the growing number of registrations and administration fees from software requests, we’ve been able to not only sustain our services but be it to expand it significantly as well. As a result, we’ll be able to provide you with even better services and more resources to help you make an even greater impact in your community!
With a stacked year behind us, we’re truly excited to find out what the new fiscal year has in store for us. Though nothing’s certain at this point, what we’re definitely sure of is that it’ll be yet another amazing year for you and I.
- Jed Dominic Adao's blog
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