BridgeTECH Preview: Platform Selection and Implementation

Thea Zunick

In 2019, Dr. Thea Zunick switched from working in higher education — she had held roles in student affairs and as an adjunct professor for 14 years — to the nonprofit sector. Zunick is now the director of community engagement at the The Jed Foundation, a nonprofit that advocates for mental health and suicide prevention among teens and young adults.

Zunick was first introduced to nonprofit tech when she began working at The Jed Foundation. She used what she learned about the nonprofit’s technology to explore other tech options that could help streamline its fundraising efforts. In her current role at The Jed Foundation, Zunick manages small to mid-sized corporate partnerships, peer-to-peer fundraising, the organization’s fundraising event initiative Neon Nights, volunteer engagement, fundraising technology and more.

Zunick will be presenting at this year’s inaugural BridgeTECH, a tech-focused event for nonprofit executives, fundraisers and marketers on Aug. 2 at the 18th annual Bridge to Integrated Marketing & Fundraising Conference. In the session, “Nonprofit Technology Panel: Platform Selection and Implementation,” Zunick, Mark Becker, founding partner at Cathexis Partners and Glen Peck, senior vice president of technology and business intelligence at the Lustgarten Foundation, will discuss best practices for software selection, implementation and integration, as well as lessons they learned from experience.

NonProfit PRO caught up with Zunick to learn more about her work in nonprofit technology and why she’s so passionate about nonprofits’ selection, implementation and integration of software.

What impact has technology had on your nonprofit?

Technology has had an important impact on fundraising initiatives. Most importantly, [adjusting] the software has led to an increase in donor conversion, successful DIYs, and a more user-friendly interface for our supporters.

What is the biggest struggle nonprofits have with technology and how has your nonprofit overcome that struggle?

The biggest struggle nonprofits have with technology is deciding what platforms work best and how to integrate them or move away in a seamless experience.

Why is it so important for nonprofits to embrace technology regardless of staff size, revenue, overhead misconceptions, etc.?

Nonprofits should embrace technology regardless of its size, revenue [and] overhead, as it helps to organize, document and automate services. There is also an inerrant level of trust from the user side.

What will you be presenting at BridgeTECH and why are you passionate about the subject?

Just because your nonprofit has been using the same platform since 1980, this does not mean you have to keep using it. I will be sharing my experience researching different platforms and how we were able to find the best fit blending features of the different services. Don’t just be fooled into choosing a platform by who has the best conference swag. Take time to do your research!

Join Us at BridgeTECH

Listen to Zunick, Becker and Peck share best practices for software selection, implementation and integration, as well as lessons they learned from experience, at BridgeTECH on Aug. 2 at the Gaylord National Hotel & Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland. Sign up for BridgeTECH and the Bridge Conference by selecting the "BridgeTECH + Bridge" option.