Okta for Good’s Nonprofit Technology Initiative: Announcing $1M+ Grant Round
As we kick off the new year, Okta for Good’s mission to strengthen the connections between people, technology, and community has never been more critical. In the face of issues like the COVID-19 pandemic and pervasive racial injustice, we are entering 2021 with a profound sense of urgency to invest in civil society around the world. Leveraging technology as our foundation, we are doubling down our efforts to connect and transform organisations and communities across the nonprofit sector.
Last year, Okta for Good launched a $10M, three-year philanthropy commitment and our Nonprofit Technology Initiative, grounded in the belief that technology enables nonprofits to be as powerful as their missions. Our goal is to support the foundational technology needs of nonprofits while contributing to a paradigm shift in how civil society is funded and enabled to make the digital transition.
Since then, we have deployed approximately $3M in funding to forward-thinking leaders and high-impact organisations worldwide, such as Benetech, VolunteerMatch, Nonprofit Technology Network (NTEN), and more. With this funding, we’re supporting three critical needs for nonprofits around technology: enabling more organisations to move to the cloud; supporting digital transformation efforts; and bringing modern security practises to the sector. We’re also heavily investing in advocacy and collaborations to build the capacity for needed change across the broader nonprofit ecosystem.
Today, we’re announcing over $1M in new multi-year funding for nonprofit technology ecosystems, innovation, and thought leadership. We’re also proud to announce that Okta for Good is democratising access to these funds through open applications for two distinct programs: Ecosystems & Capacity Building, and the Nonprofit Technology Fellowship.
Ecosystems & Capacity Building
At Okta, we believe that digital infrastructure is essential for growth and impact. Last year, we invested in organisations including NetHope and TechSoup that nurture critical ecosystems for nonprofit technology leaders and help build the capacity of the global nonprofit field. We’re excited to invest in building the technology infrastructure to support more world-changing organisations.
The Ecosystems & Capacity Building stream will support more networks, capacity building organisations, new technology solutions, and collaborations around technology. Each grantee is eligible for multi-year funding to further their work in a specific issue area.
Nonprofit Technology Fellowship
In addition to Ecosystems & Capacity Building grants, we’re looking to empower individuals and organisations who are building the future of technology, innovation, and social impact through a new Nonprofit Technology Fellowship program.
Our goal is to enable a diverse cohort of Fellows to enrich the field through their thought leadership, focusing on a specific issue area such as digital transformation, security, or equity in nonprofit technology. During this six month fellowship, Okta will amplify the voices of these Fellows, supporting this inaugural cohort with content production, networking to peer and publication channels, and communication coaching in addition to providing a grant to their organisation.
Investing in You
We’re excited to empower more nonprofit technology leaders and accelerate society’s most critical work. If our focus areas align with your organisation’s impact, submit your application by January 22, 2021. All applicants will be notified within eight weeks of the application close date.
To apply for a grant or to learn more, please visit Okta for Good’s Nonprofit Technology Initiative page.
